Essex

Essex beat the touring Sri Lankans by 22 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method) in a one-day tour game in Chelmsford that was reduced to a 21 overs per side affair due to rain.

Upminster Cricket Club have announced that they will be hosting a match in aid of England captain Alastair Cook's benefit year in September.

Essex head coach Paul Grayson ran the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon in a time of four hours and four minutes to raise money for the Lord's Taverners.

Matt Carter takes a detailed statistical look ahead to the LV= County Championship, which gets underway this weekend, continuing with Division Two.

A round-up of the day's county cricket news, including Leicestershire's capture of former Kent and Nottinghamshire bowler Charlie Shreck.

A round-up of the latest from the county circuit, including coaching changes at Essex and Kent and the death of Warwickshire all-rounder Alan Townsend.

Essex fast bowler Reece Topley has suffered a back injury and will miss out on an England Lions tour while Durham have signed Scotland batsman Calum MacLeod.

A round-up of the week's county cricket news, including the signings of Jon Lewis and Saeed Ajmal by Sussex and Worcestershire respectively.

Sri Lanka will play tour matches against Essex, Kent, Northamptonshire and Sussex during their 2014 tour of England, the ECB has confirmed.

Watch highlights of the Friends Life t20 Finals Day semi-finals between Northamptonshire and Essex, and then Hampshire and Surrey at Edgbaston.

With the required run rate threatening to get out of hand, enter the man who has enjoyed a season so spectacular as to be almost unbelievable since re-joining the club from Middlesex over the winter.

A record crowd is expected at Edgbaston for the 2013 Friends Life t20 Finals Day at Edgbaston this weekend as Essex, Hampshire, Northamptonshire and Surrey battle for the title.

Essex completed the Friends Life t20 Finals Day line-up with a 47-run win in a slightly fractious encounter at Trent Bridge.

Surrey and Essex both progressed to the quarter-finals of the Friends Life t20 as Middlesex came up narrowly short at Southampton.

There were wins for Nottinghamshire, Durham, Somerset, Kent, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and Essex in the afternoon's Friends Life t20 action.

Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Essex all completed victories in the remaining matches in round 13 of the LV= County Championship, while there was a much-needed win for Warwickshire in the day's Friends Life t20 fixture.

Yorkshire are the new leaders of the LV= County Championship after completing victory over Derbyshire, while Middlesex and Essex look well placed for wins going into the final days of their matches at Hove and Chelmsford.

There was a win for Warwickshire at Edgbaston as they kept their LV= County Championship title defence alive. Meanwhile rivals Yorkshire and Middlesex took complete control of their matches against Sussex and Derbyshire.

Draws now look inevitable at Old Trafford and Canterbury, but the match at Edgbaston is nicely set up going into the final day. Elsewhere, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Yorkshire all enjoyed outstanding days in the LV= County Championship.

There was more joy for the nation's batsmen as runs flowed on another sunny day around the country. Laurie Evans and Rob Key both reached three figures for their sides, while Sean Ervine, James Taylor, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Michael Lumb and Ateeq Javid all prospered.