04 Dec Essex CCC’s 2023 Fixtures Released
It’s an exciting time for all English cricket fans and, this year, they haven’t had to wait too long. The ECB have confirmed the fixtures for the 2023 domestic season and there is a packed schedule for Essex to tackle.
The vast majority of home games are now hosted by the Cloud County Ground in Chelmsford and here’s what’s in store.
County Championship Challenges
Essex play in division one of the County Championship and the season gets underway with a trip to Lord’s. Middlesex are the hosts for the opening game which is scheduled to run from April 6th to April 9th.
Chelmsford’s first game of the new campaign takes place from April 13th to April 16th when Lancashire are the visitors. The opening six rounds of County Championship matches ends with a trip to Trent Bridge to take on last season’s division two winners Nottinghamshire.
Once that game comes to a conclusion on May 21st, attention will turn to white ball cricket.
T20 Blast Bonanza
The T20 Blast may represent Essex’s best chance of silverware in 2023. With few county players considered for international call ups, the team should be close to full strength for this competition.
Along with other strong limited overs sides such as Surrey. Nottinghamshire and Kent, early betting puts Essex towards the top of the outright winner market. As the Blast draws closer, the markets will fill up and UK betting sites and similar will update odds as they come in.
Those odds are supplied by sources attached to SBO.net who maintain all cricket betting markets throughout the domestic season. As results come in, the figures will be updated and readers can assess any changes in real time.
Each sportsbook receives an extensive review and if visitors want to get further involved, they can do so. All bookmakers referenced by SBO are open to new customers, subject to a completed registration form. Upon receipt, many will release a generous welcome promotion.
A range of funding methods can get the account moving while additional benefits can include ongoing promos, a choice of other sports and the option to bet on a mobile device via an app.
In terms of those T20 Blast fixtures, Essex’s home campaign begins with a tie against Gloucestershire on May 30th. The big date for the diary as far as many supporters are concerned will be the first Friday night game under the lights. This takes place on June 2nd as Essex host Hampshire Hawks.
The group campaign finishes with a trip to the Kia Oval to tackle Surrey on July 2nd. The quarter finals follow, before finals day takes place at Edgbaston on July 15th.
Royal London One Day Cup Slots In
It’s become a forgotten competition in the current climate. With the Hundred dominating the entire month of August, the 50-Over tournament has been downgraded. Many of Essex’s best limited overs players will feature in the Hundred, but the county should still be ready to field a strong team for the Royal London One Day Cup.
The campaign runs through August and Essex get underway at Sedbergh School with an away game against Lancashire on the first of the month. Two days later, Chelmsford hosts its first 50-over match of the season as Nottinghamshire are the visitors on the third.
Two more home games follow on the 11th and 13th of August as Essex host Middlesex and Yorkshire Vikings respectively.
Essex Personnel
Essex have been quiet in terms of the squad’s ins and outsduring the off season. As of December 2022, there have been no new arrivals into the Cloud County Ground, while Adam Wheater has retired and Jack Plom has been released.
There is still time for new arrivals, but the first team will look similar to that of last year. In the County Championship, spinner Simon Harmer will be a key figure with Sam Cook emerging as one of the best seamers in the country.
With Dan Lawrence currently out of the England test squad, he, along with Nick Browne and the evergreen Alastair Cook, will be required to do the bulk of the run scoring. It’s an exciting time and, while there is a winter training schedule to negotiate, everyone at Essex CCC can now look ahead to the new season.
