I SAID at the start of the season that we would play our cricket the ‘Essex way’.

So when we went into bat needing 330 to win on the final day in the Championship match against Kent, it would have been fair to expect a thrilling run chase with our history of exciting victories.

It didn’t happen.

It was always going to be difficult chasing at about four-and-a-half runs an over, but Kent were without a frontline spinner.

Cookie’s job was to bat through the innings and it was a shame he was out for 72 because I am sure that, had he gone on and scored a century, we would have won.

He played well for someone who has not been scoring a lot of runs, having come back into county cricket following his England exploits a week earlier than intended.

He is his own worst enemy when he is not scoring runs as he questions everything he is doing.

We still faniced the chase when he was out, though, and sent Ryan ten Doeschate up the order above myself to see if he could give us an injection.

It didn’t pay off and we fell further behind the run-rate, culminating in a spell before tea when I think we scored just 40 runs from about 20 overs.

You have to be careful when chasing a large total because if you lose too many wickets it can quickly fall apart, but we never got going in the middle period.

By the time I came in, the game was all but gone and their part-time leg-spinner Joe Denly bowled well.

The problem with chasing in the Championship is there are no fielding restrictions so the fielding side can go on the defensive and stop the runs quite easily.

I played well for my 40 not out and did not want the game to finish when it did as I think I would have gone on to make a big score.

Considering our first innings deficit, a draw was not a bad result. It left us fifth in the table and has put us back on track and in a position to play some good cricket.

It was Danish Kaneria’s first game back with us and he took six wickets.

In previous years he has struggled when first returning as the wickets are not always condusive to spin at this time of year.

If he continues to bowl like that we will be fine.

WESTLEY DIDN'T FIT STYLE

WE have had the first instance of a player receiving his P45 on the football pitch.

In his wisdom, chairman Billy Godleman decided Tom Westley did not fit the bill as the type of player he wanted for our team in our before-match football clashes.

Tom was not taking it seriously enough and is wished all the best for the future – only we don’t and our team, the youngsters, say good riddance!

We want to progress as a team and were worried about how Tom’s behaviour was rubbing off on the other players.

There was a clause in his contract saying he could be released and, while his skills were average, we don’t judge players on their football ability.

We signed Matt Walker and Tendo because they are good club men.

There is a rumour that Danish might be the next signing.

He is low on skill, but if we can still win with him on our side then it may be worthwhile just to prove our superiority.

First, though, we will have to make sure an approach is within the transfer window.

The club shares were handed out this week.

Billy Godleman — who is taking the football so seriously — has been handed a 77.5 per cent stake.

I have 20 per cent, Cookie two per cent and Richard the physio has half a share.

FULL COLUMN IN THURSDAY'S ECHO