ESSEX men were given a welcome boost in their preparations for County Week with a 4-2 friendly win over Hertfordshire.

Neither team fielded full strength sides but it was a good test for Essex against Group One winter and summer champions.

And the result left non-playing captain Jamie Willson satisfied as Essex step up their preparations for the annual LTA inter-county tournament.

“I was very pleased with the result, especially Rich Barham and Marshall Tutu, who are likely to be a pair for Essex in the main event,” said Willson, who lives in Leigh.

“There were two excellent wins for Jack Stammers and Leon Smart but, disappointingly, Rich Wire was unable to pull new player Judd Berg through either of their events.

“Whilst Herts and ourselves did not feel a full side due to tournament commitments, they are a strong side in depth and are reigning champions for many years in Group One.”

Essex number one Richard Wire was paired with Judd Berg-Graul, but they lost their matches to Dominic Ross-Hurst and Johannes Prins 6-4 6-4 and James Thomas and Josh Bird by the same scoreline.

But Westcliff Hardcourts’ Richard Barham and Marshall Tutu were unbeaten after securing a 7-6 7-6 win over Ross-Hurst and Prins and then beating Mark Rawlins and John Groom 6-4 6-2. And Leon Smart and Jack Stammers made sure of the win by beating Thomas and Bird 7-6 6-2 and Rawlins and Groom 6-4 6-7 (10-3).

The Essex men will be playing the Leo-Lyle doubles competition at Thorpe Bay this weekend and then play Norfolk at Cromer the following weekend.

That will be their final warm-up match ahead of their Group Four campaign against Middlesex, Sussex, Dorset, Cambridgeshire and North Wales at West Worthing.

Essex’s ladies team will face Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Middlesex, Kent, East of Scotland and Norfolk in group Two at Cromer.