ESSEX are on the cusp of taking a giant leap towards more one-day success.

And skipper Mark Pettini wants his side to monopolise one-day cricket for years to come.

Essex already have the reputation of being the most fearsome limited overs team in the country.

Like the great Gloucestershire side which won seven one-day competitions between 1999 and 2004, Essex show no sign of letting up.

Following their Friends Provident Trophy glory and Natwest Pro40 promotion last season, they have continued to dominate this time around.

Their steamrollering of Lancashire and Glamorgan in their last two Friends Provident Trophy matches are proof that Essex will take some stopping.

Victory over Northamptonshire at Northampton on Sunday will assure them a place in the quarter final, should Derbyshire not beat Essex’s weekend opponents today.

“We have played some excellent one-day cricket in the last few weeks, and I can’t fault the players at all,” said Pettini.

“It has put us in a good position in the group and it looks like we will need just one more win.

“It would be nice if we could go on and monopolise one-day cricket for years to come.”

Essex go to Northampton on the back of a championship defeat to Nicky Boje’s side.

They will come face-to-face with an eager Monty Panesar, whose star has faded in recent months.

Graeme Swann has been preferred in the Test side to spinner Panesar, who will be hoping England go with two spinners when the Ashes begin later this summer.

The Essex batsmen were not overly troubled by Panesar, who took just one wicket in 31 overs in the championship game.

But he proved difficult to score off, conceding only 42 runs.

He was seen as one of the great hopes of English cricket, but a lack of variety in his bowling and poor fielding have seen his stock drop well below that of Swann.

Skipper Pettini feels Panesar should not be written off yet, though.

“He bowled a fairly tight line and pretty quick when I faced him last week,” Pettini said.

“There wasn’t a great deal of flight and it was really about not conceding many runs for him.

“The wicket wasn’t very helpful for the spinners at Northampton, but I’m sure Monty will come back into contention for England during the summer when they look to play two spinners.”