Essex look to build momentum after three-day win
Tom Westley is now fully recovered from a broken finger suffered in the opening game of the season
- Published
Captain Tom Westley hopes Essex have "turned a corner" following their six-wicket home win over Hampshire in the County Championship.
The victory was only their second of the season and the first since beating the same opponents by an innings and 137 runs at Southampton at the start of the season.
It lifted Essex up to second place in the Division One table, pending the outcomes of another four top-flight games on Monday.
"We've played some really good cricket in patches but without being able to string three or four days together – other than the Oval, where I thought we played fantastically well to secure a draw [against Surrey]," said Westley.
"What I think is exciting for us is to win games like this, which was really challenging for three days. I think the scorecard flatters us a little bit, winning by six wickets, but it wasn't easy batting out there, especially against a world-class bowler like Kyle Abbott.
"By our own high standards we didn't play to the level that we can. We haven't played to the best of our ability but to come away with 20 points is something we desperately wanted."
Essex were guided home by all-rounder Matt Critchley, who hit 15 fours in a superb 90 not out from only 73 balls and shared a 101-run fourth-wicket stand with Charlie Allison (34).
Critchley also scored 173 and took 5-9 with his leg-spin when Essex beat Hampshire last month.
"For a number of years, Critch has stepped up. He is such a reliable cricketer with bat and ball," said Westley.
"He richly deserves it, for all the hard work he puts in with Tom Huggins [batting coach], to have moments like this."
Essex - who last won the title in 2019 - will be at home against Leicestershire on Friday in their final game of the opening block of Championship matches before switching focus to the T20 Blast.
"Hopefully we have turned a corner. While morale in the camp has been good, we firmly believe we are one of the best teams in the division," Westley added.
"The first four-game block [in April] didn't go to plan with external factors as well - broken fingers not being ideal and Wiaan [Mulder] having to go home - so there are things we've had to deal with. But we believe that when we play our best we can beat any team.
"We just want to use this victory as momentum going forward. We just need to string some wins together and see where we are in a month or two months' time."
