Essex ready for Somerset threat ahead of Championship title decider at Taunton

Anthony McGrath says the T20 Blast champions can cap a memorable week by winning Division One in the coming week

Champions-elect Essex will be ready for any conditions when they arrive at Taunton to face Somerset in a straight shoot-out for the Division One title.

The longest English domestic season in history will come to a dramatic climax next week when the leading contenders for the Championship collide in a winner-takes-all clash.

Essex, who lead the table by 12 points, will arrive in the west country having won their maiden T20 Blast title at Edgbaston on Saturday and chasing a famous double.

Taunton historically produces a dry surface which turns from the outset and though such conditions do favour Somerset, the visitors are not without weapons of their own.

Spinner Simon Harmer is the highest wicket-taker in English cricket this summer with 78 scalps in all, and coach Anthony McGrath believes the trip to Somerset is not a daunting one.

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"To win nine games in the Championship in Division One, on other years you would have already won the Championship," he said.

"Both Taunton and Chelmsford have been result wickets, normally finishing in two or three days. We don’t expect anything different.  

"The pitches there have been dry and have spun. The seamers have got wickets too. We think that with our attack we have got all bases covered. 

"Simon’s a world-class spinner and our seamers have had a really good season too."

Rain is forecast for large swathes of the four-day game, meaning the finale to the campaign could yet be a damp squib.

But that will matter little to Essex, who are on the brink of the double having captured the T20 Blast title on Saturday after backing up their semi-final win over Derbyshire with a dramatic victory over defending champions Worcestershire Rapids in the final at Edgbaston.

^{Taunton will play host to the title-deciding clash}

The Chelmsford club will, therefore, carry significant momentum into the clash with Somerset, themselves chasing their first-ever title.

"Every county sets out at the start of the season to win a trophy," added McGrath. "You try and win every match and you have to put yourself in contention.

That’s what we spoke about before we came to Finals Day. Going into the last week of the season, we were still in with a chance of two trophies. We have done the first bit. 

Next week is going to be tough because Somerset are a very good team. All we have to do is be us. It’s not a bigger game than the other ones. 

Stick to our method and if we are good enough over the four days, we will have another trophy.  If we are not, it’ll be congratulations to Somerset."