365 Sporting Days – New!

After my family, Cricket and Essex Cricket in particular are my biggest passions. With one match to go my team are still at risk of relgation, with a match in Cardiff against Glamorgan to come. I spent 22 days over the season and got to most of the T20 Blast matches too.

Hee are some of my ‘favourite’ photos from the County Championship days I attended. Apologies to those bowled, but it’s a thrill when I know I’ve captured flying bails.

Warwickshire v Essex – Edgbaston 17th April – 20th April 2026. Warwickshire won by 41 runs. (3 Days)

Warwickshire 1st innings – Sam Hain 88* from 179 Balls, Jamie Porter 4 for 59 in 20 Overs.

Essex 1st innings – Simon Harmer 48 from 91 Balls, Nathan Gilchrist 4 for 40 in 9.5 Overs

Warwickshire 2nd innings Beau Webster 91 from 123 Balls, Sam Cook 5 for 58 in 15 Overs

Essex 2nd innings Luc Benkenstein 39 from 93 Balls, Keith Barker 4 for 29 in 17 Overs

Sam Cook – Took 5 for 58 in his 15 Overs – Warwickshire v Essex April 2026

Surrey v Essex – The Oval , London – 25th April – 27th April 2026 – Match Drawn (1 Day)

Essex 1st innings – Dean Elgar 92 fron 161 Balls, Paul Walter 101 from 184 Balls, Noah Thain 64 from 126 Balls. Dan Lawrence 3 for 14 in 5.1 Overs.

Surrey 1st innings – Dom Sibley 101 from 283 BallsDan Lawrence 125 from 204 Balls, Ollie Pope 69 from 131 Balls. Simon Harmer 3 for 69 in 25.3 Overs.

Essex 2nd innings – Dean Elgar 107 from 238 Balls, Tom Westley 136 from 169 Balls.

Essex v Hampshire – The Ambassador Crusie Line Ground, Chelmsford. 8th May – 11th May 2026. Essex won by 6 Wickets (2 Days)

Hampshire 1st innings – Jake Lehman 80 from 164 Balls. Sam Cook 3 for 56 in 14 Overs, Shane Snater 3 for 46 in 12.3 Overs

Essex 1st innings – Simon Harmer 80 from 118 Balls, Wiaan Mulder 54 from 98 Balls. James Fuller 5 for 43 in 15 Overs.

Hampshire 2nd innings – Nick Gubbins 71 from 189 Balls, Ben Brown 57 from 89 Balls. Simom Harmer 4 for 66 in 31 Overs

Essex 2nd innings – Matt Critchley 90 from 73 Balls. Kyle Abbot 4 for 35 in 14 Overs

Essex v Leicestershire – The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford – 15th May – 18th May 2026. Essex won by 7 Wickets. (1 Day)

Leicestershire 1st innings – Jake Weatherald 61 from 77 Balls, Sol Budinger 89 from 114 Balls, Stephen Eskinazi 50 from 100 Balls. Shane Snater 3 for 59 in 18.2 Overs, Wiaan Mulder 3 for 70 in 15 Overs.

Essex 1st innings – Jamie Porter 52 from 117 Balls, Charlie Allison 72 from 103 Balls, Wiaan Mulder 79 from 124 Balls. Ian Holland 4 for 54 in 18 Overs.

Lieicestershire 2nd innings – Ben Cox 20 from 41 Balls, Sam Cook 4 for 19 in 9.4 Overs, Shane Snater 4 for 12 in 19 Overs

`Leicestershire v Essex – Uptonsteel Grace Road, Leicester. 12th June – 15th June 2026 – Essex won by 6 Wickets (2 Days)

Essex 1st innings – Jordan Cox – 204 from 201 Balls, Matt Critchley 97 from 136 Balls.Rehan Ahmed 4 for 102 in 23 Overs.

Leicestershire 1st innings – Nick Kelly – 78 from 121 Balls. Charlie Bennett 3 for 48 in 11 Overs, Simon Harmer 3 for 42 in 18 Overs

Leicestershire 2nd innings – Ryan Patel 58 from 97 Balls, Lewis Hill 127 from 320 Balls. Shane Snater 3 for 69 in 34 Overs, Simon Harmer 3 for 124 in 51 Overs.

Essex 2nd innings – Paul Walter 110 from 135 Balls

Essex v Nottinghamshire – The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford – 19th June – 22nd June 2026 – Notts won by an innings and 52 Runs. (3 Days)

Essex 1st innings – Tom Westley 44 form 66 Balls, Liam Patterson-White 67 for 43 in 16.4 Overs

Nottinghamshire 1st innings – Haseeb Hameed 89 from 204 Balls, Jack Haynes 137 from 206 Balls, Fergus O’Neill 61 from 50 Balls.Shane Snater 3 for 62 in 21 Overs, Simon Harmer 5 for 165 in 45 Overs.

Essex 2nd innings – Charlie Allison 56 from 104 Balls, Fergus O’Neill 5 for 39 in 13.5 Overs, Liam Patterson-White 3 for 66 in 36 Overs.

Essex v Surrey – Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. 27th August – 30th August 2026 – Match Drawn (3 Days)

Surrey 1st innings – Adam Thomas 43 from 65 Balls, Zaman Akhter 3 for 36 in 10.2 Overs, Sam Cook 3 for 41 in 15 Overs

Essex 1st innings – Dean Elgar 113 from 191 Balls, Rahul Chahar 6 for 80 in 22 Overs

Surrey 2nd innings – Ben Foakes 120 from 226 Balls, Simon Harmer 3 for 92 in 38 Overs

Essex v Sussex – The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. 2nd September – 5th September 2026. Sussex won by 47 Runs. (4 Days)

Sussex 1st innings – Jack Leaning 60 from 120 Balls, Sam Cook 3 for 32 in 19 Overs, Jamie Porter 4 for 44 in 15 Overs.

Essex 1st innings – Charlie Allison 56 from 86 Balls. Henry Crocombe 5 fror 39 in 9.5 oevrs. Including a Hat-Trick!

Sussex 2nd innings – James Coles 79 from 125 Balls. Simon Harmer 4 for 96 in 18 Overs, Zaman Akhter 4 for 51 in 11.1 Overs

Essex 2nd innings – Matt Critchley 96 from 132 Balls. James Coles 4 for 98 in 29.3 Overs

Essex v Warwickshire – The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. 15th September 16th September 2026. (2 Days)

Essex 1st innings – George Bell 61 from 84 Balls. Ethan Bamber 6 for 26 in 15 Overs

Warwickshire 1st innings – Sam Hain 88* from 175 Balls. Shane Snater 3 for 17 in 6.3 Overs, Matt Critchley 4 for 54 in 19.3 Overs.

Essex 2nd innings – Paul Walter 42 from 56 balls. Manav Suthar 5 for 75 in 24 Overs

Name	Innings	Runs Scored	Average
Charlie Allison	24	791	35.95
George Bell	4	166	83
Luc Benkenstein	9	152	16.88
Jordan Cox	1	204	204
Matt Critchley	23	860	45.26
Dean Elgar	24	707	30.73
Simon Harmer	16	445	31.78
Wiaan Mulder	6	196	49
Michael Pepper	16	197	13.13
Shane Snater	19	249	15.56
Noah Thain	7	120	17.14
Paul Walter	24	611	25.45
Tom Westley	19	431	23.94

Bowling Stats and Facts – (Wickets Taken)

Name	Innings	Balls	Maidens	Wickets	Avge	Economy
Sam Cook	18	1695	77	40	20.45	2.89
Shane Snater	20	1774	71	40	21.17	2.86
Simon Harmer	19	2271	80	34	33.91	3.04
Jamie Porter	19	1907	83	31	30	2.92
Matt Critchley	19	1138	17	24	28.33	3.58
Zaman Akhter	9	615	20	13	29.23	3.70
Wiaan Mulder	6	362	8	9	24.55	3.66