ESSEX V SURREY at Chelmsford (RCC)
4-7 APRIL 2025

Surrey's campaign begins where it left off at the end of 2024, in Chelmsford. In the County Championship's 135-year history, only twice has the same team won four or more titles in a row. But if history suggests the Oval outfit are about to embark on the near impossible and build on their three-peat, the bookmakers have them as strong favourites (at even money in some places). Somerset are 9-2, Essex 11-2 and Hampshire 15-2. If the odds-setters have it right, Sussex (20-1) and Worcestershire (33-1) will be this summer's strugglers in Division One.

Even with England calls and the white-ball specialists likely absent for long periods, Surrey have virtually every base covered, apart from, perhaps, in the spin department, which proved to be a bit of an Achilles heel on the road in last summer's County Championship.

“We’re the envy of the other 17 counties,” says Head Coach, Gareth Batty. “The Hundred sell-off might have changed some perspectives, with a boatload of money about to be injected, but we’re still ahead, so we’ve got to keep ahead.

“The drive comes from each individual player and member of staff to keep moving forward, and I’ve seen nothing other than actually trying to do more."

Essex and, ultimately, Hampshire and Somerset pushed the champions hard last term, but Surrey’s impressive record at the Oval – where they have lost only once in four-day cricket in four seasons – kept their challengers at arm’s length, while everyone at the club were coming to terms with the untimely death of England legend Graham Thorpe.

Essex remain one of the main title challengers due to their bowling attack, which was led in 2024 by Jamie Porter (56 championship wickets at an average of 19.25), with Sam Cook (43 at 17.30), Shane Snater (41 at 22.12) and off-spinner Simon Harmer (45 at 33.15) in close attendance.

With the bat, both Dean Elgar (1,144 red-ball runs at 57.20 last season) and Jordan Cox (918 at 65.57) proved to be astute acquisitions, while skipper Tom Westley (801 at 42.15), Michael Pepper (523 at 43,58), Matt Critchley (662 at 36.77) and Paul Walter (490 at 40.83) all hit hundreds. Elgar, however, is set to miss the start of the season following the birth of twins.

Surrey have now won the County Championship 22 times (which is second only to Yorkshire’s tally of 32). En route to claiming the title, the South Londoners have never lost a championship match starting in April.

Surrey v Essex - First-Class Records Sheet

The former Yorkshire and England seamer Matt Fisher looks set to make his Surrey debut. Jordan Clark (247) will start with a 250th first-class career wicket in his sights. Ben Foakes is 4 dismissals away from 500 in f-c cricket as wicketkeeper and fielder, while Jamie Smith is one shy of a century of combined first-class catches and stumpings. If they play, Essex's Charlie Allison and Mackenzie Jones will be making their f-c debuts. Michael Pepper enters the new season with 946 first-class runs to his name.

The only notable absentee from the defending champions' squad is Gus Atkinson, whose workload is being managed by the England selectors. Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton and Reece Topley are currently participating in the IPL, which concludes at the end of May. Kemar Roach returns to the fold to fill one of the overseas berths ahead of the arrival of New Zealand's Nathan Smith, who is likely to make his debut for the Oval outfit in a month's time, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

With the weather set fair and the Dukes ball being used, you can almost certainly rule out a draw. Dean Elgar's absence leaves the hosts looking a tad wanting at the top of the order; while the visitors' attack, even without Gus Atkinson, should be more than a match for Essex's, which continues to rely on the control Simon Harmer's off-spin brings to the party. Surrey look stronger on paper. That said, they have lost two and drawn twice at Chelmsford since their last four-day victory there in 2018.

C.Allison, N.Thain, T.Westley (capt), J.Cox, M.Critchley, P.Walter, M.Pepper (wk), S.Harmer, S.Snater, S.Cook and J.Porter.

Ian Blackwell and Russell Warren.

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