Essex trio take a lot from draw

By Paul Hiscock

Although Essex hopes of securing their second County Championship win of the season were hampered by the weather and, in particular, a series of stoppages for bad light in the match with Glamorgan at the SWALEC, they were able to reflect on a trio of individually satisfying performances.

Alviro Petersen, returning to his former county, scored 145 out of 259 for 9 declared in Essex's first innings before Tom Westley contributed 52 to a second innings score of 166 for 9 and teenage fast bowling prospect Tymal Mills continued his eye-catching and spectacular progress with career-best figures of 4 for 25.

Petersen could not have chosen a better time to record his first century in an Essex sweater. Runs had previously been hard to come by with his first four innings producing just 40 runs, but the familiar surroundings of the Cardiff venue saw him produce a typically gutsy performance.

"It's always nice when things come together," said Petersen. "Things went well for me, and the longer I was out there everything fell more into place. I must say that all the guys at Essex have welcomed me from the first moment that I arrived and, within the first couple of days, I felt like I'd been around them for a year.
 
"That's something I'm very grateful for, because all the time they keep backing me all I want to do is to contribute to their success. We have a fantastic dressing room - everyone gets on really well and we know our roles and play as a team.

"When I signed for Essex I looked at the fixtures and this game was one that stood out with me having to come back to Cardiff to face my former team. But it's something that I've been really looking forward to. I knew it was going to be a hard challenge and I prepared myself for that and, luckily, I got some runs."

The explosive pace of Mills, meanwhile, unsettled a number of Glamorgan batsmen, while Moises Henriques was so startled by the 19-year-old's firepower that he was bowled after he ducked into a bouncer and was hit on the helmet before the ball deflected into his stumps.

Mills took his four wickets in 31 deliveries at a cost of just four runs and, though he only started cricket four years ago, he admits that he is relishing every minute of his burgeoning career.

"I'm learning so much from every game that I play," said Mills. "This is my first season as a professional cricketer and I just want to enjoy it and have fun."

Already on England's radar, the teenage terror is however just concentrating on present day matters with his county rather than looking at the wider horizons of the international stage.

"I'm not looking too far ahead," he added. "I got a call up for the England Lions during the winter which came completely out of the blue and I took a lot from that experience, but I'm sticking to my principles of just enjoying my cricket each and every day.

"I just want to continue to run in and bowl fast and do the job that I'm asked to do with Essex. At the moment I'm  getting my rewards, and long may that continue."


Date: 07/05/2012 00:36:38 by Paul Hiscock
In: Today | Essex |