New Essex cricket captain Nasser Hussain shrugged off the frustration of being left out of England's World Cup squad by working off his disappointment with Premiership soccer club West Ham United.

Hussain took the entire Essex squad to the Hammers Chadwell Heath training ground yesterday where he and the County Ground lads thrived on a pre-season warm-up with their Upton Park counterparts - and there wasn't a bat or cricket ball in sight.

"It was a great experience," said Hussain's newly appointed right hand man Ronnie Irani - an unashamed Manchester United fan.

"The West Ham boys were absolutely fantastic! We knocked the footballs about with them and then did some special skills such as ball control, sprints and two against two, plus many other things like that.

"It was an absolutely enjoyable experience. The Premiership footballers treated us really well and it's something all the Essex boys would love to do again.

"We in turn have returned the favour and invited the Hammers players down to Chelmsford to join in our training and maybe have a net if they want to."

Former West Ham World Cup winning star Geoff Hurst was once on Essex books. Pre-season training began in earnest when the Essex players reported back on Monday, but they had been going to the ground for training throughout the winter under the watchful eye of Great Britain athletics coach Frank Dick.

Essex secretary-manager Peter Edwards said: "Dick has given each player their individual training course and everything is going well.

"The boys are hoping to get some outdoor net practice in this week - subject to the weather - and there are orienteering, golf and biking sessions also lined up as well as a week away at Dartmouth to help bond the squad."

Essex have offered a contract to 18-year-old Wanstead wicket-keeper/batsman Jamie Foster.

Foster was captain of the county's Under-19 Eleven in 1998 and was among the 23 players placed on standby for England's Under-19 tour to New Zealand this winter.

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