ESSEX have moved to quell their fast bowling crisis by signing Middlesex seamer Chris Wright.

The 23-year-old has signed a two-year deal at the Ford County Ground and will join his new team-mates for the 2008 season.

With Darren Gough departed for Yorkshire and injuries ruling out Mervyn Westfield and Maurice Chambers, Essex's pacemen have struggled to take wickets regularly this summer.

Indeed, while Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has taken 57 LV County Championship wickets, the county's nine seamers have taken just 82 between them all summer.

This lack of penetration has led to the signing of Wright, who has taken 23 wickets and scored 444 runs in 18 first-class matches since making his Middlesex debut in 2004.

"The main thing that has struck me about Essex, as an opponent, is their attitude," said Wright, who was close friends with new team-mate Tony Palladino at Anglia Ruskin University.

" They seem to have a young, highly ambitious squad. The likes of Tim Phillips, Mark Pettini and Varun Chopra have all come through the ranks and been give good opportunity to establish themselves.

"That reflects in the way they play, with everyone working well together on the field."