Yep, good finish to the day. Looked like we were going to concede a 100+ run lead at one point. If we can get close to parity tomorrow then we've got a chance, but I don't fancy us to chase too many with Harmer bowling on a fourth day pitch.

I'd like to think the current partnership has engineered us into a position where we shouldn't lose. Early to say though. The middle session was great cricket, Essex bowled so well as a unit and Lamb in particular showed great composure against them. Briggs lower order batting has been a revelation.

Miles and Briggs were largely untroubled by the new ball. They looked solid, and can possibly get well past 250 and earn the extra batting point. Good resilience late on with this 9th wicket stand.

coolerking wrote:

BristolBear wrote:

ajones1328 wrote:

Was looking forward to watch but the stream provided by the club is abysmal compared to Notts, it seems worse than against Derbyshire.

I only watched the first hour did it improve I.e did the camera show the ball once it left the bat ?

No it was fairly poor all day. At times it simply froze, the sound quality was not good, replays didn’t actually show what happened.
It has definitely taken a backwards step since Derbyshire. Against Derbyshire, it wasn’t as good as Notts’, but it was more than passable. Not sure why it’s worse.

I feel like a traitor saying this but the picture, sound and, in particular, the dreadful commentary have been so bad that I'm watching the Middlesex v Surrey game instead. The picture's first class and the commentary is infinitely better.

I've just gone through the different streams and ours is one of the worst for sure. The Middlesex stream is brilliant ! Tbh I was happy with the Notts one last week. Think there's real opportunities to have something similar to that standard.

There's no real excuse because Leicestershire coverage is better than ours

Anyways, interesting day ahead tomorrow

I thought the comentary from Clive Eakin and Don Toppley was very good at time, with lots of interesting anecdotes to help fill the day, great to have as a background while working.
It would be interesting to know the budget, and resources, each county have allocated to their video streaming offering. We do need to remember that the BBC comentary which accompanies the pictures is designed for the online listening audience, not the video stream, and radio comentary is a very different skill.

I'm very appreciative of the fact we can now both watch and listen to the full days play from every game, at no cost.

A serious question, for the long term development of the side, would we have been better off playing Dan Mousley or Adam Hose in the lat two games instead of Vihari?

Highveld wrote:

I thought the comentary from Clive Eakin and Don Toppley was very good at time, with lots of interesting anecdotes to help fill the day, great to have as a background while working.
It would be interesting to know the budget, and resources, each county have allocated to their video streaming offering. We do need to remember that the BBC comentary which accompanies the pictures is designed for the online listening audience, not the video stream, and radio comentary is a very different skill.

I'm very appreciative of the fact we can now both watch and listen to the full days play from every game, at no cost.

A serious question, for the long term development of the side, would we have been better off playing Dan Mousley or Adam Hose in the lat two games instead of Vihari?

Yep do like the audio commentary, as you say it is based on the radio audience however still works perfectly fine.

Hindsight is a great thing but I'm not picking Hose over an Indian Test match batsman. Still think there's a very good innings in him

That's a bloody good effort from the tail. Great work Danny Briggs.

Great chance now, what a session.

This is the key now. Don’t let them off the hook. Don’t let them get 200.

I don’t think we are bowling badly, but it does seem to be hard work for them. Commentators are saying after the new ball softens it seems to be getting tougher for the bowlers.

So we really need our openers to see off the new ball and then build (once we take the last wicket).

Hopefully we'll take that last wicket early. Then plenty of overs to chase down a modest but awkward total. But Essex are such a good team, and will make life difficult.

Dont fancy us

There are positives to take though I feel, we do seem to be making progress in certain areas.

If we look at Essex they find a way to win, even when having a bad day. We have demonstrated that recently and there is fight in the squad, hopefully that will show tomorrow too.

I’m pleased that Miles has taken some wickets and Briggs has shown some control too.

Even if we don’t get over the line I feel like we have competed with one of the best teams in the country which is not something to be taken lightly.

Agreed, we have perhaps let things slip slightly and even if we get the last wicket straight away tomorrow I’m not confident that we’ll get the target, but we’ve shown good fight in this match and I feel that the team are definitely heading in the right direction

We haven't got that last wicket! Lead is 247 now. To think they were 36/5, now 236/9. Probably end up as a draw. Unless we try and chase it down?

I know we chased down Notts in the last round but Essex have a much better attack so, assuming we ever take this last wicket, it's going to be tough to bat out time, let alone win.

They can’t afford to lose more than 1 early wicket.
Because they need to get that ball soft, and then deal with Harmer.
They need wickets in the bank for Harmer on a fourth day pitch.
I wonder if they might consider trying to hit him out the attack.

coolerking wrote:

I know we chased down Notts in the last round but Essex have a much better attack so, assuming we ever take this last wicket, it's going to be tough to bat out time, let alone win.

Whilst I agree it will be tougher, Notts did have a certain Stuart Broad steaming in. It was captivating viewing watching the tussle between him and Hain!

Will we win? Probably not, but if we can get a couple of partnerships going then anything is possible.

These are the sort of challenges that we want to see in county cricket.

Quite true, Broad did steam in and was a real test for our batsmen. But Essex have Simon Harmer, who is a wicket-taking machine, plus Jamie Porter and Peter Siddle who although past his best did take 200+ test wickets.

As you say though, it's about partnerships this one and we're doing pretty well so far.

Interesting chase is on. Two sessions to score 208. Vihari has looked solid so far. Harmer has had a couple of overs before lunch. COYB!