Essex get season underway at Cambridge MCCU

Essex’s first-class county season gets underway on Tuesday as the Specsavers County Championship Division One side take on Cambridge MCCU.

The 2017 Division One Champions will be involved in a three-day friendly against the university students as they continue their preparations for the upcoming County Championship campaign.

Essex recently returned from a warm-weather training trip to Abu-Dhabi, where they were tested by numerous sides in the lead-up to their third season in the top tier of domestic cricket.

Head Coach Anthony McGrath referred to the benefits of the recent trip to the UAE ahead of Tuesday’s opening day’s play.

“The idea of the tour was to get everyone ready for the long and gruelling season ahead and we got some really great work done over there,” he said.

“I was really happy with the work that the lads got in, not only in games but in practice. I have to say the facilities were really superb and so I’m happy with all our preparations.

“Everyone is raring to go, we’ve got a strong squad and there is some really good competition for places.

“We’ve got the game with Cambridge MCCU which will offer us more match time ahead of the first Championship game of the season with Hampshire next week. The guys who are in the squad get the chance to put their name forward for the trip to the Ageas Bowl.

“Hopefully the weather will be kind to us at Fenner’s. It’s a ground we like going to and we often get some really good preparation there, so hopefully it will be a fruitful three days.”

Essex will be forced to select from a squad excluding Sam Cook, Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley as the trio continue to feature for the MCC against Surrey in the traditional season opener in Dubai.