Table-toppers Essex travel to Wales to face Glamorgan in the Specsavers County Championship Division 2 scheduled to start on Sunday at The SSE SWALEC.
Essex will have to do battle without opener Nick Browne who sustained a groin strain during his marathon innings against Derbyshire at The E.C.G earlier in the week. The left-hander scored 255 but picked up the injury during his nine hours and ten minutes at the crease.
Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 12-man squad for the trip across the country and the party includes two players who have yet to make their first appearance for the County in Championship Cricket. All-rounder Ashar Zaidi and New Zealand bowler Matt Quinn are both named are featuring in Friday's NatWest T20 Blast match versus Surrey.
Quinn joined Essex during the winter on a three-year contract but injury has kept the tall right-arm seamer out of consideration until recently. Silverwood is confident that the 23 year-old will prove a success with the County.
“He is available for all three formats, he can swing the ball and has got a good pedigree. He has played for New Zealand A in the past and has got all the attributes to be successful here at Chelmsford.”
Zaidi is a left-handed batsman and bowls slow left-arm orthodox and is another yet to make his Essex Championship debut, having played for Sussex in the last two seasons.
Silverwood admits that his squad are brimming with confidence following their fine start to their four-day season. “It’s great to be at the top of the table and there so much belief throughout the dressing room” he said.
“There’s no rocket-science to what we are trying to do, we’ve all worked hard to get to where we are at the moment and we take every game as it comes making sure our preparation is right and focussing on the processes we need to concentrate on.
“With a heavy schedule of matches coming up across all three formats of the game, we may have to juggle our side around a bit, particularly our bowlers. Matt Quinn is ready to go and it’s just a matter of finding a place for him in the side which is a nice headache to have. But it also shows the depth that we have in the squad with the old guard and new signings boosted by the young players coming through.”
Essex (12-man) squad to face Glamorgan Ryan ten Doeschate (c), Jaik Mickleburgh, Jesse Ryder, Tom Westley, Ravi Bopara, Dan Lawrence, James Foster, Graham Napier, Ashar Zaidi, Aaron Beard, Matt Quinn, Jamie Porter