Middlesex scalp is the perfect tonic for Essex

Obviously I was delighted that Southend Cricket Week saw us dispose of Middlesex in such commanding fashion in the Championship after our quick win over Glamorgan.

I think I said before that, prior to the game in Wales, I made it clear to the players just how vital it was that we got maximum points from those two matches.

To take 39 from a maximum 40 was excellent and I can honestly say that the Championship cricket we played in those two games was the best I've seen from an Essex side since our great era.

With such a big crowd watching us at Southchurch it was disappointing that we didn't produce the goods and went down to heavy defeat against Hampshire in the National League on Sunday.

I lost the toss for the fifth time in a row in all and it was an important one to win. When we went out there and lost three wickets in the First 10 balls in reply we were out of it.

What I would say, and it's a view I'll be putting over to the Essex committee, is that we've only got a squad of 12 players that we can rely on to do a job for us week in, week out.

Obviously we've got a bigger squad than that, but what we badly need is players who can come in and do an immediate job when, for example, I'm on Test duty or, as happened last week, Mark Ilott is out injured.

Other players are having to carry on when they need a rest, Ronnie Irani is a case in point, and there has to come a time when people go down a gear when you're asking them to produce the goods too regularly.

Mark looks like being out for at least a month and that's why it's vital that, in matches such as the current Essex one with Sri Lanka A, someone produces something to cry out and say "I'm the man to come in and do a job."

Despite my England captaincy pressures, I myself want to play a vital part in Essex games, but for this season I think it may be that my efforts on the County scene will be more on the Championship front than the National League.

Bird watchers - part of the huge crowd that watched the Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks cricket action at Southchurch Park on Sunday

Picture: ANDY PALMER

Grayson deserves monthly honour

One man who has definitely been producing the goods for Essex this season is my old mate Paul Grayson.

I'm so pleased for him that his efforts have been rewarded by being named the Ridley's Player of the Month for June.

He had a bad time last season and struggled at the start of this one, but he's really come up trumps in recent months and deserved his success.

Being a "Yorkie", he's always believed that hard work and perseverance are the keys to success and I couldn't be more pleased for him. Certainly he's come into his own when opening the innings when Paul Prichard had his lengthy spell out through injury.

Obviously, as he did so well on his return, we're all hoping that "Prich" will be 100 per cent ready when the County returns to Championship action in a couple of weeks.

The wrist problem did flare up again after his comeback, in which he scored a very important half-century, which is why he didn't play in the National League game.

However, we're all hoping that it will only be a minor setback and he'll be 100 per cent from hereon in.

It's entering a vital stage of the season now. We're fourth in the Championship and, although you won't hear any talk from me about Championship potential, we certainly want to keep up our recent good run.

Finally, I'd just like to remind local fans that myself and the Essex lads will be deep in Echo circulation territory in a couple of weeks time for my benefit game with Shepherd Neame League Premier side Billericay.

It all happens on Wednesday August 11 and I'll tell you all a bit more about what's planned in the column over the next couple of weeks. For the time being make a note of that date at Blunts Wall Road in your diaries and I'll look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the day.

For now though, let's concentrate on making that Test series victory margin 2-0!

Lord's hoodoo? It's just headline fodder

I had to laugh when I saw the stories in some of the popular national papers about an England hoodoo at Lord's.

Our record there generally just hasn't been as good as at other Test venues and the simple truth is that, if you play poorly, you don't get results. It's as simple as that.

To start talking about us being jinxed at the home of cricket is just laughable. It might make good newspaper copy, but that's all it is.

At the time this is being written, we're just finishing off our final Test preparations and we're all raring to go.

Alex Tudor, the bowler who turned out to be a batting hero at Edgbaston, has had a slight knee twinge, but he'll be okay and there's no other problems.

Obviously the news that Yorkshire's Darren Gough has had a further problem with the calf injury that sidelined him from the First Test is disappointing on a long-term basis.

"Goughie's" a key part of the England set-up and we want him to be completely fit and ready for the South African Tour.

We're certainly hoping that this latest setback is only temporary and won't harm his chances of being ready for the Tour. Certainly I'm still hopeful that he be okay for at least the last of this four Test series with New Zealand.

Part of our build-up for the Test saw some of the England and Essex boys turning their hands to golf at the championship course at Buckingham on Monday.

It was part of my benefit, but turned out to be Ashley Cowan's day. I gave him a lift there and back which allowed him to have a drink - and his team went and won the whole thing. All in all it was highly enjoyable and perfect relaxation for the very important few days to come.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.