Essex vs Lancashire, County Championship Divison One, Today Match Prediction 13 April 2023

ess vs lancs Match Prediction & Analysis

We are in the second round of games at the County Championship Division One 2023, and Essex will take on Lancashire in the 7th game. Essex plays at home, and they made a good start to the season, defeating Middlesex. Lancashire made a strong comeback in the last game and held Surrey to a draw.  

Essex has dominated Lancashire in the last few seasons, winning three out of the four games between them. They play at home, and the team has enjoyed a good record at this venue in the last few years. Lancashire won the last game between the two teams here, and it will be interesting to see if they can repeat the performance from last year. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Essex Preview

Tom Westley will feel confident heading into this home game. They started the season well, defeating Middlesex in the last game by 97 runs. It was an excellent effort from their bowling unit in the last game. Westley will expect a better show from his batsmen, as they struggled in the last game and didn't build partnerships.  

Nick Browne and Alastair Cook got starts in the last game, and the side would like to see them turn them into a big score. Daniel Lawrence scored a hundred and will look to build partnerships in this game with Westley and Matthew Critchley. The side bats deep, and they shall expect runs from Adam Rossington and Simon Harmer.  

The bowlers will be confident after their exploits in the last game. New ball bowlers Jamie Porter and Sam Cook had a great game, and they must strike early for the side to feel confident. Shane Snater, Ben Allison, and Harmer also did well and must deliver a strong performance in the supporting role.

Essex Predicted Playing XI:

Tom Westley (c), Nick Browne, Alastair Cook, Daniel Lawrence, Matthew Critchley, Adam Rossington (wk), Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Ben Allison, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter

Lancashire Preview

Keaton Jennings's side held the defending champions Surrey to a draw in the last game. It was a strong show by the side after conceding a big score in the 1st innings. Their opponents will be confident after winning the first game, and Jennings must lead from the front and aim for the first win this year.  

Keaton Jennings is in good form and will look for a good start opening the batting with Luke Wells. Josh Bohannon scored a match-saving hundred against Surrey, and he must anchor the innings with Dane Vilas and Steven Croft in the middle order. George Bell, Colin de Grandhomme, and Luke Wood solidify this batting line-up.  

The bowling attack will enjoy the conditions at Chelmsford, and they will need early wickets from Tom Bailey and Will Williams. Matt Parkinson bowled well in the last game and will carry this confidence. Luke Wood, Colin de Grandhomme, and Luke Wells add variety to this attack.

Lancashire Predicted Playing XI:

Keaton Jennings (c), Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft, Dane Vilas, Luke Wood, Tom Bailey, George Bell (wk), Will Williams, Matt Parkinson, Colin de Grandhomme

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The skies would be overcast over Chelmsford from Day 1. The conditions are expected to be challenging for the batsmen as the bowlers would get a lot of assistance from the surface. Any score of 350 runs or above would be a good score for a side in the 1st innings at this venue.

Venue Details

County Ground, Chelmsford, is small, but there is a lot in there for the fast bowlers as the ball tends to move around on this track. It is a challenging venue for the spinners as the shorter boundaries allow the batsmen to play strokes freely. Batsmen have to get used to the pace and bounce on this track to score runs.

Toss: To Bowl

Batting early on this surface won't be easy as the ball will move and trouble the batsmen. The wicket eases as the game progresses. The side that wins the toss here shall not hesitate to bowl first in the game.