Tim Phillips

Tim Phillips staged a late assault as Essex pipped Middlesex at Chelmsofrd to keep up their challenge in the NatWest Blast South Group

Essex powered their way to a 59-run win over Scotland in a Yorkshire Bank 40 match reduced by rain to 29 overs a side

Essex saw their hopes of taking over as Clydesdale Bank 40 Group C leaders disappear with a dismal batting collapse in a four-wicket defeat by Gloucestershire at Cheltenham

Mark Pettini and Ravi Bopara blasted Essex to a 65-run victory over Somerset in a Friends Life t20 South Group match at Bath

Tim Southee proved the hero as Essex condemned Hampshire to their first Friend's Life t20 defeat of the season at Chelmsford

Surrey's County Championship clash with second division rivals Essex petered out into a draw in Croydon, but not before Essex had flirted with the cricketing equivalent of hara-kiri

Tim Phillips recorded career-best one-day figures of five for 28 as Essex hammered the Unicorns by eight wickets at the Victory Ground

Ravi Bopara's second century of the match and an unbeaten 90 from Alastair Cook put Essex firmly in control of their battle against County Championship leaders Yorkshire at Chelmsford

Adam Lyth continued his impressive form as Yorkshire replied to an Essex total of 399 in their County Championship Division One clash at Chelmsford

A magnificent unbeaten century from Scott Styris carried Essex to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Surrey at Chelmsford

Dual champions Durham needed plenty of backs-to-the-wall defiance, and some help from above, to eke out a draw against promoted Essex at the Riverside

Defending champions Durham found themselves following on 286 behind and needing a backs-to-the-wall effort to avoid starting their campaign with defeat against Essex at the Riverside

Tim Phillips, the Essex left-arm spinner, will be out of action until June after undergoing knee surgery. He picked up the injury during a second team match against Surrey last week

Ravi Bopara sent the England selectors a timely reminder of his talents with a fine innings of 91 but Essex still fell to a four-wicket defeat to Somerset in the Pro-ARCH Trophy in Abu Dhabi

A round-up from the latest Championship matches

Essex put themselves in pole position to secure the Pro40 Division One title with an easy 31-run over bottom side Lancashire at Chelmsford

A round-up from the County Championship

The NatWest England Under 19 Cricket Team travel to Sri Lanka today (Friday 7 January) as reigning Under 19 World Champions, aiming for a repeat triumph in the forthcoming Under 19 Cricket World Cup