With the start of the 1999 season just 12 days away, the Essex cricketers have intensified their preparations in readiness for the new campaign.

Skipper Nasser Hussain, in full charge of the side for the first time, believes that the squad are in good shape and well prepared for the six strenuous months that lie ahead.

They open their County Championship season with a match against last year's champions, Leicestershire on April 12 at Chelmsford.

In a recent radio interview, Hussain was optimistic commenting, "The boys have worked really hard. Ronnie Irani has got a fitness trainer in and we've used Frank Dick who has worked with the Olympic squad and all of them have worked really hard.

''We've taken care of the two per cent (referring to fitness), now we've got to take care of the 98 per cent which is individual, performance - people getting runs and wickets."

Asked why the supporters should view the forthcoming season in a positive frame of mind, when the team remains the same as last year, with no senior players being recruited to strengthen a side that finished bottom of the pile in last year's county championship, Nasser readily addressed the question stating: "Basically we don't have to change a lot in the form of our one-day cricket because we've been to three Lord's finals in three years - what we need to change is our championship form.

"There are good players here, I don't think any of our members would say that we haven't got good players - they just need to show it.

''They didn't do themselves justice last year and we let our heads drop and were unprofessional. Those are the things that we have to put right."

The 31-year-old skipper, who enjoys his benefit this year, emphasised that the players are fully aware of the demands expected, saying: "They know what's ahead of them. After one bad season, there's pressure on all of them.

''There are only three or four definite places in the side, the rest of them are pushing places.

"They know the form, they are professional cricketers and they have to do well."

Despite the well documented more ruthless approach that Essex have been asked to display, Nasser insisted that the team will still be entertaining, saying: "Essex don't get many draws, that's been the case since Fletcher, Goochie and Prichard. We play positive cricket and we'll carry on playing it that way.

"But I think that members and the crowd want to see us showing a bit of fight. If we can instil that quality, then we'll make sure that we win games and in some of the games where it seems we could lose, we might pull off a draw or a miraculous victory."

Having remained loyal to last season's squad of players, Nasser indicated that one or two have to prove themselves this year stating "The players have got my full support and backing. But really, it doesn't matter what I think, what matters are statistics - how many runs they get or wickets they take.

''So this year gives us an opportunity to find out what people are about."

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