Match Preview: Essex (A)

Derbyshire stay on the road, moving from west to east as they travel to Chelmsford to take on Essex in a one day game there for the first time since 2022.

Heritage Officer David Griffin previews the fixture.

This will be the 52nd scheduled one day game between the sides, Derbyshire having won 13, Essex 32, with three No Result matches and three abandoned, at Chelmsford in 1983, Southend-on Sea in 1987 and Derby in 2014.

That last meeting at Chelmsford resulted in a 92 runs win for Derbyshire after posting 318 for six with Brooke Guest top-scoring with 88 ably supported by Mattie McKiernan (72*) and Luis Reece (52). Essex replied with 226 all out with Reece, Ben Aitchison and Mark Watt all taking two wickets apiece.

The game at Derby last year resulted in a win for the visitors and a match aggregate of 688 runs as Tom Westley scored 118 for Essex while Harry Came (139) and Matthew Montgomery (108) both reached three figures for Derbyshire.

At 243 for one chasing a record 367 to win, Derbyshire were in a promising position but their former all-rounder Matt Critchley returned to take three for 66 as Derbyshire fell short by 44 runs.

Despite the disparity between Derbyshire’s wins and defeats, they still prevailed in two of the most important games in their history, winning the NatWest Trophy semi-final at Derby in 1981 and nine years later securing the RAL Sunday League title against the same opponents, also at Derby.

Until the game in 2025, Kim Barnett was the sole player to have scored a one day hundred for Derbyshire against Essex, making a magnificent 131 not out at Derby in 1984.

Barnett’s partnership with Bruce Roberts of 158 for the fifth wicket in that game was a record until last year, too, before it was removed from the record books by Came and Montgomery who added 225 for the second wicket.

The best bowling by a Derbyshire bowler is six for 24 by Alan Ward at Ilkeston in 1976. His effort was in vain, however, as despite Essex’ lowly all out total of 126, Derbyshire could muster only 119 all out in reply.

Five Essex players have reached three figures with a best of 112 not out by Ravi Bopara at Derby in 2008 and with the ball Neil Foster’s five for 17 at Derby in 1986 is the best of four five wicket hauls by Essex bowlers.