Essex endured several near misses last season but Tom Westley, one of their star performers in white-ball cricket, is convinced they can put their frustration behind them and continue to improve.
Kevin Howells (BBC radio)
Who would have thought Jesse Ryder would have had such an impact last season? In the end Essex went close to going up. Can't see why that challenge won't be repeated.
David Fulton (Sky Sports News)
Pitches are important for them. They hit on a formula at Chelmsford where there was some greenness for the seamers and also turn for Monty. They should challenge.
It was a case of so near yet so far for Essex across all three formats in 2014 but there are plenty of reasons to suggest the county are heading in an upward direction.
Perhaps the most agonising setback of all last season was missing out on promotion in the LV= County Championship by finishing third in Division Two, eight points behind Worcestershire and only 11 adrift of champions Hampshire.
There were encouraging signs in the group stages of both limited-overs competitions although their hopes were extinguished in the quarter-finals on both occasions by Warwickshire– or their NatWest T20 Blast equivalent, Birmingham Bears.
Nevertheless, opening batsman Tom Westley, who enjoyed something of a breakthrough season in white-ball cricket last year, is optimistic they can continue their progression this term.
The former England Under-19 international told ecb.co.uk:“It’s frustrating at times because we did play some fantastic cricket but I think from a player’s point of view, and speaking on behalf of the squad, we just want to try and win as many games of cricket as we can.
“We won as many games of cricket across all forms as almost anybody. Obviously we didn’t have too much to show for it but I think it shows that we’re going in the right direction and we’re not too far away from winning a trophy, getting promotion or potentially doing both.”
It would be unwise to bet against Essex this year if Westley continues to prosper. He had only made a handful of appearances in the shortest format before last year but made light of his relative inexperience to finish the competition as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 538 at 44.83, including two centuries, while he also made crucial scores in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
“Last year was good for me because it made me feel like an important member in all three formats rather than just featuring in the four-day stuff and the 50-over stuff,” he said.
“Now I feel like a more senior figure across the board which is something that every young English cricketer wants to become at their county.”
Westley signed a new two-year deal before the end of last season, as did overseas player Jesse Ryder, the New Zealander who shone with both bat and ball across all formats for Essex in 2014.
The all-rounder’s commitment is a tremendous boost to the county, who will hope he can continue to dominate bowling attacks in the middle order alongside Ravi Bopara and take valuable wickets with his medium-pace.
“Jesse has committed to Essex for two more years, which I think is a brilliant signing,” said Westley. “He’s a world-class cricketer, not just with the bat but with the ball last year he was unbelievable.”
Ryder will complement a bowling attack including David Masters, Graham Napier and Monty Panesar but will not feature highly-rated left-arm seamer Tymal Mills, who left for pastures new, turning down a new deal to join Sussex.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes went to Surrey over the winter, but while both players showed plenty of promise, neither man had established themselves in the south east, with club captain James Foster excelling with the bat and behind the stumps in 2014, while Mills struggled with injury last season.
However, Essex’s fast-bowling ranks will be swelled for the Blast with the signing of Australian paceman Shaun Tait, giving the famous Friday night Chelmsford crowds plenty of big names to cheer.
“I think some of the guys, myself included, take it for granted sometimes but playing at Essex is a sell-out every Twenty20 and nearly every one-day game,” added Westley.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve even been to an Essex game where it’s not sold out or there’s not a buzz or an atmosphere at the ground, so it’s brilliant and the supporters are fantastic, they get behind the lads. It’s a good place to come down on a Friday night.
“We’ve got some big names and some firepower in the shorter formats which could help us secure the trophy. That’s our goal at Essex: we want to win trophies and we want to gain promotion into Division One.”
That fierce determination will surely stand Essex in good stead as they once again prepare to battle on all fronts this season.
Essex
Captain: James Foster
Coach: Paul Grayson
In: Shaun Tait (Australia), Liam Gough (youth), Aron Nijjar (youth), Saf Imtiaz (youth)
Out: Ben Foakes (Surrey, right), Sajid Mahmood (released), Tom Craddock (released), Tim Phillips (retired), Tymal Mills (Sussex, right)