Will Jefferson and Andy Flower will be hoping the arrival of table-topping Nottinghamshire at Southchurch Park tomorrow, will see them handing out the sort of punishment they inflicted at Trent Bridge earlier in the season.

Darren Gough - will be looking to get among the wickets against Notts Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

The Essex pair both scored centuries in an overwhelming Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy victory in May.

But those deeds are but a distant memory as the pair have failed to get consistently among the runs in recently.

Jefferson has not topped 50 in his last seven Championship innings and Flower has scored just one half-century in as many trips to the middle.

Between them they could only muster 66 runs in four innings in the last game against Leicestershire.

But Essex, inspired by an explosive debut by Andre Adams, that included the season's fastest century, still won by 48 runs to claim their first Championship success of the summer.

That victory and Sunday's Totesport League triumph over Northants, will give them a huge lift against opponents who are poised to return to the First Division after being relegated last year.

Certainly Ronnie Irani and his players prepare for action boasting a fine record against Notts. In addition to the C & G triumph, they have come out on top in their last three Championship meetings, including the 2002 battle at Chelmsford when Jefferson struck an unbeaten 165 to seal the Division Two title.

But Southchurch Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Essex of late. Their last Championship win was in 1997, since when they have lost four times.

A great deal of attention will focus on Adams during the next few days. The 29-year-old New Zealander's 80-ball century against Leicestershire -- he went on to make 124 -- stole the headlines and was certainly one of the most dramatic innings by an Essex player for a long time.

Published Tuesday July 27, 2004

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