Out on their knees

Despite a first trophy since 1998, with victory in the totesport League, a hum of disappointment surrounds Chelmsford. Essex, one of the early favourites for Championship promotion, are faced with another season in the four-day basement; they can no longer even claim to be a yo-yo club.

While the batting has followed up its youthful promise with solid results (the two 20-year-olds Ravinder Bopara and Alastair Cook scored 2,041 Championship runs between them, earning call-ups to England's Academy squad), the bowlers have gone under the knife more times than Michael Jackson. The results are just as frightening.

An opening attack of Alex Tudor and Darren Gough, without the dodgy knees, is as frightening as any. But it was naive to hope that both would play a fulfilling role throughout the season. They played 11 Championship matches between them, leaving the medium-pacer Andre Adams, Bopara and recurring overseas player Dale Steyn to eke out the wickets through pace. And they certainly were eked - Essex took all 20 wickets in only five Championship matches.

"The bowling situation wasn't great," admits the captain Ronnie Irani. "We were unlucky with some injuries and the availability of Danish Kaneria, so we never had a settled line-up. I think our batting was good enough to take us up, so we're going to have to work hard on our bowling and hopefully some of the younger guys will make a real impression."

Maurice Chambers is the most promising of them, genuinely quick and capable of shaking up top batsmen. But he is still only 18 and the best bet for next season appears to be getting a genuine strike bowler in from abroad - after ensuring that his knees are functional. That way promotion lies.

Player of the Year Alastair Cook more Championship runs than Andy Flower. It now looks increasingly like a matter of when, not if, he plays for England.
High Winning the totesport League.
Low Tudor failing to defy expectation.