GRAHAM Napier has labelled the Colchester Cricket Festival a ‘crucial’ part of the annual calendar, as Middlesex and Surrey prepare to face Essex this week.

The Colchester-born all-rounder will head home for the festival with his Essex team-mates as they look for another strong showing against Middlesex in the One-Day Cup today and Surrey in the County Championship on Friday, having won both matches this time last year.

Having made his name playing for Colchester & East Essex, Napier says he always enjoys returning to Castle Park although not just for nostalgic reasons.

The 35-year-old believes giving larger parts of the county the chance to watch Essex play is vital in increasing the club and the sport’s appeal.

And Napier said the amount of support the festival has garnered in recent years has proved its importance.

“The Colchester Cricket Festival is very important for the county cricket scene as a whole,” said the former Gilberd School pupil.

“It takes cricket to different people around Essex and that is crucial. It is my home ground as well which is always an added bonus.

“It is a lovely ground and, more importantly for us, we have had some good results there in recent times and we will need a result against Surrey after what happened against Kent.

“If we don’t play in Chelmsford it is in Colchester so it would be good for as many people as possible to come and watch the cricket at Castle Park.

“I haven’t played for Colchester for a few years,” he went on. “I’m getting older now and it doesn’t fit in with Essex’s schedule but it is always nice to go back and play.”