365 Sporting Days

At last I received the much awaited email to tell me I could go and watch my county, Essex play a game of cricket! The opposition were the Sussex Sharks, a very good white ball team, with a powerful bowling line up, missing Jofra Archer, but still full of speed. Also featuring 16 year old Archie Lenham who’d taken 3 wickets during his home debut, a cool cookie, he’d dropped a catch, then strolled in and picked up the three wickets.

The Sussex team also featured Ravi Bopara, an Essex favourite who’s moved at the end of the 2019 season. I really do wish Ravi the best, but hoped he wouldn’t play a huge part in this game.

Luke Wright won the toss for Sussex and put Essex in to bat. That proved to be a good decision on the part of the Sussex captain as his bowlers did a good job for him!

Essex made a poor 128 for 8 in their 20 overs, with young batter Michael Pepper top scoring with 38 from 25 balls, he looked in good nick but didn’t get enough on a ball from George Garton and was caught by Wright.

Overseas signing Jimmy Neesham batting mysteriously low down the order at 6 made a quick 19 from 13 balls, falling victim to a ball from ex Essex pace man Tymal Mills.

Garton had the best bowling figures of 3 for 31, the youngest Lehman bowled just the one over for 11 runs. He looks a bright young prospect, I really hope we see a lot more of him.

Luke Wright rather likes batting at the County Ground, he surpassed the 152 Graham Napier scored against Sussex hitting 153 from 66 balls, one of those, I was there innings!

Wright opened with Phil Salt, who was run out by the still agile Ryan ten Doeschate for 13, the score was 52, Wright had been up to his usual stuff! Joined by Travis Head the pair put on 60 to take Sussex close to the required target.

Head made 27 before he was caught by Neesham from the bowling of Aron Nijar. Wright was also despatched by Nijar, a catch for Will Buttleman, having scored 75 from 44 balls, although an Essex fan I could only admire his batting skills. The score was 123 for 3 and the job was all but done.

That left Ravi Bopara and Delroy Rawlins with a handful of runs to get and both finished on 6 Not Out. Sussex won the game with 6 overs to spare.