A mixed bag

It's been a mixed week for Essex.

After Sunday's washout at Lord's meant there was no play in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Middlesex, Mark Pettini's side showed real character to overhaul Derbyshire's huge total in the same competition the next day in a rain-affected game.

Derbyshire had set an imposing 299 for seven from their 40 overs but under the Duckworth Lewis Method Essex were given a revised target of 247 from 30 overs.

They looked in trouble at 27 for three and then 64 for four but it was Ryan ten Doeschate who came to the rescue again. The Flying Dutchman reached his century from just 59 balls, doing it in style with a six. In all he hit eight sixes to guide Essex home with good support from Jaik Mickleburgh (34) and James Foster (31).

Tendo couldn't save Essex from an embarrassing defeat to Yorkshire as Scarborough this week though. Yorkshire had posted a massive 516 all out in their first innings which Essex couldn't overhaul innings, losing by an innings and 96 runs in three days.

Captain Mark Pettini has identified an understrength bowling attack as his side's main problem and this is undoubtedly true. The return of Danish Kaneria this week, who's set to play in the County Championship against Kent at Chelmsford, will undoubtedly bolster the bowling but the batting is fragile too.

Alastair Cook, John Maunders and Mark Pettini will have been disappointed by their tallies with the bat so far this season, often getting in but losing their wicket before they could go on to make fifties or centuries.

The whole team needs to raise their game and Kaneria's arrival may be the catalyst to do this. The Friends Provident t20 competition will put everything else on hold during June and early July, so Essex will want to have some more wins under their belt in the Championship by then.

Kaneria's arrival also puts New Zealander bowler Chris Martin's position under question. It may be that the Kiwi will have come all this way for just a week's First Class cricket.