Ricky Anderson and Tim Walton are poised to make their championship debuts for Essex when the county go into action against Gloucestershire tomorrow.

Both are included in a party of 12 who today travelled to Gloucester for a clash Essex desperately need to win to rebuild confidence after two successive defeats.

Anderson is a 22-year-old fast bowler from Hammersmith who was signed at the start of the season, while Walton played 19 first-class matches for Northamptonshire before arriving at New Writtle Street a few months ago.

Aged 26 and a former under-19 player, Walton is considered something of an all-rounder and recently took 5-31 against Glamorgan in a second XI match with his medium-pace deliveries.

However, it was his ability with the bat that persuaded Essex to offer him a contract - a quality of his game he emphasised at Ilford last season when he scored an unbeaten half century in an AXALeague clash.

Walton is likely to contest a place in the middle order at Gloucester with Tim Hodgson. He is also included in the squad after turning in good performances for the seconds.

However, room will be found for both if Paul Prichard is declared unfit. He has still to give the thumbs-up after injuring his knee in a collision with Darren Robinson on Sunday when both tried to cut off a boundary in the game against Yorkshire.

Prichard is confident of declaring himself fit and certainly Essex need him.

Apart from Stuart Law, he is the only batsman who has been displaying any sort of form in the opening games of the season.

Young fast bowler Jamie Grove and teenage batsmen Ian Flanagan are omitted from the side who suffered a 173-run defeat at the hands of Yorkshire last weekend.

That was the county's third setback in four championship outings and tomorrow they will be taking on opponents who are also struggling to make an impact.

Gloucester have been beaten four times in five games and that represents a big contrast from last summer when they finished fourth after being championship contenders for much of the time.

These days they no longer have that great West Indian bowler Courtney Walsh to spearhead their attack - a fact Essex batsmen will be delighted about.

The Essex party is: Paul Prichard, Darren Robinson, Tim Walton, Stuart Law, Ronnie Irani, Paul Grayson, Barry Hyam, Cowan, Ricky Ander-son, Tim Hodgson, Mark Ilott, Peter Such.

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