Essex vs Surrey: Full preview

SURREY SQUAD

The Three Feathers have named a 13-player squad for Friday's opener. New signing Matt Fisher is named in his first Surrey squad.

Tom Lawes and Cam Steel are ruled out due to injury. As an England-contracted player, Gus Atkinson's playing time is managed by the national side and is unavailable for this fixture.

HOW CAN I KEEP UP WITH PLAY?

The match will be broadcast live on YouTube via Essex Cricket's channel. A link to the stream will be available on the Surrey Match Centre and social media channels.

Surrey Cricket's social media channels will provide live updates from Chelmsford, with clips and highlights posted throughout the day.

A written report and highlights will be available at the end of each day's play.

ESSEX

Captain: Tom Westley

Director of cricket: Chris Silverwood

2024 finish: Fourth

2024 highest run-scorer: Dean Elgar (1,144)

2024 highest wicket-taker: Jamie Porter (56)

Key winter moves: Essex plans were thrown into disarray when Indian Shardul Thaker pulled out of his intended seven-match arrangement at late notice when called up as an IPL replacement. Unless Essex can unearth another available overseas bowler to ease the burden on the pace attack, returning director of cricket Chris Silverwood will have to revive his Midas touch of yore and bring out the best from the existing squad.

Player to watch: Jordan Cox's summer was dogged by injury, yet he still topped the Essex averages with 918 runs at 65.57. It earned him a call to arms from England and he was all set to make his Test debut in New Zealand in the autumn before suffering another setback. Another flying start this time around would keep him firmly on the selectors' radar – and bolster Essex's middle-order.

Final thought: It may be seven-and-a-half years since Silverwood left Essex for England, but there could be as many as half-a-dozen familiar names in the first XI he selects on April 4. Promising opener Charlie Allison was 12 back in 2017, but such has been his rapid rise that his should be a name on Silverwood’s team sheet for the next decade and more.

LAST TIME OUT VS ESSEX

Surrey travelled to Chelmsford in late September, knowing that they would be lifting the County Championship trophy at the end of the match. Yousef Majid, Josh Blake and Ollie Sykes were handed their Championship debuts as Surrey rested some members of the squad after a very taxing September.

The contest was a largely dull affair, with Essex putting on 508/8 in the first innings. Former Surrey man Dean Elgar scored 182, with Tom Westley and Matt Critchley also scoring centuries. Ryan Patel took three wickets with the ball.

Dom Sibley (125) scored his third century of the summer as Surrey reached 267/7 before shaking hands on a cold Sunday evening that ended with Rory Burns lifting the County Championship title for the third successive time.