A number of Essex’s star names will be missing as the club edges closer to the new cricket season.
Essex face Worcestershire at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford in a two-day friendly, starting today at 11am.
And they will be without recent England captain Alastair Cook, who is taking a breather after his successful tour of Bangladesh, while Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier are both away at the Indian Premier League.
Wicket-keeper James Foster is in Dubai playing for the MCC against Durham in the season’s curtain-raiser, and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is not expected to join up with the county until just before the opening LV= County Championship fixture against Hampshire on April 9.
With seamer Tony Palladino also a possible absentee due to injury, it leaves Essex down to the bare bones and skipper Mark Pettini will lead out a side without a huge amount of Essex appearances between them.
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