ESSEX V SURREY at Chelmsford (LVCC)
4-7 MAY 2023

Fourth plays host to the early season leaders. Two successive nine-wicket victories have put Surrey at the head of affairs in Division One. Essex, meanwhile, have opened their 2023 account with a win over Middlesex at Lord’s plus draws against Lancashire and Kent.

With the bat, Tom Westley (251 championship runs at an average of 50.20), Matt Critchley (222 at 55.50), Dan Lawrence (49.00) and Nick Browne (44.00) have started Essex's season in fine fettle. But, for whatever reason, Sir Alastair Cook (99 runs in 5 innings) has not, as yet, dipped his bread.

The dangers for Surrey will be off-spinner Simon Harmer, Jamie Porter and Sam Cook. Cook looks an even more potent fast bowler than the one who took 58 first-class wickets in 2021 and 51 in 2022. Very much in the Darren Gough mould, surely it can’t be long before we see the 25-year-old step onto the international stage.

Cook has marked his two outings to date with 10 championship wickets at 14.50 apiece, while fellow seamer Jamie Porter has rediscovered his consistency by notching up 13 victims at 19.15.

The key man for the visitors could be Rory Burns, whose first-class career record against Essex reads 828 runs at an average of 51.75, including a best of 158 at Colchester in 2015.

Surrey v Essex - First-Class Records Sheet

Dom Sibley (6,975) is just 25 shy of a 7,000th first-class career run, while Dan Worrall (938) needs another 62 for 1,000. Of the Essex contingent, Sir Alastair Cook will start this game with 25,906, while Matt Critchley has 3,922.

Surrey have named a 15-man squad that includes Sean Abbott, who was rested for last week's game against Warwickshire, and Will Jacks, who returns following a thigh injury, as well as Gus Atkinson and Dan Moriarty.

Surrey have lost heavily on their last two four-day visits to Chelmsford. But with the weather forecast for days two, three and four suggesting play will be intermittent, a draw would appear to be the most likely outcome.

N.Browne, A.Cook, T.Westley (capt), D.Lawrence, M.Critchley, M.Pepper (wk), S.Harmer, D.Bracewell, B.Allison, S.Cook and J.Porter.

Mike Burns and James Middlebrook.

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