Essex continue their fight against relegation when they take on high-flying Lancashire in today's day-night Totesport League clash at Chelmsford.
Even though they won their last match against Northants at Southend, the county find themselves at the foot of the First Division table and facing a massive task to survive with time running out.
The men from the Red Rose county pose an enormous challenge, not that Ronnie Irani and his players will need a reminder of that fact.
Even though former Essex star Stuart Law was missing from the Northerner's ranks through injury, they still coasted to a seven wickets triumph when the sides met at Old Trafford in mid-July.
That was a duel in which Irani hit a brilliant unbeaten 102 to keep the Essex innings afloat, but only two other players - Mark Pettini and Paul Grayson - managed to top 20 and stay with him any length of time.
Essex have named a squad of 13 for the game. Paceman Scott Brant is included in it although he has still to be given the all-clear from an ankle problem which forced him to miss the recent game at the Rose Bowl.
Teenagers Alastair Cook and Ravinder Bopara continue to be unavailable because they are due to play for England in the second Under-19 Test against Bangladesh which starts at Taunton tomorrow.
Published Monday August 9, 2004
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