IT'S time to stand up and be counted.

That is the rallying call of Essex club captain Ronnie Irani to his struggling charges.

Essex's young team - led by 23-year-old captain Mark Pettini - have won just two of their last 14 matches, marking a sharp drop in form since Irani retired through injury in June.

Now, the 35-year-old former England all-rounder has seen enough and called on his former team-mates to up the ante immediately.

"The time has come for the Essex boys to stand up and be counted," he said".

"Forget all the talk about transitional periods. I never liked it when I was captain.

"Young boys became young men overnight in my days as skipper, but now they've got to take the next step.

"Instead of just shaving once a week they've got to start shaving every day - and it's the same on the cricket field.

"Performing once in a while is not on. Two wins in 14 matches (at the time of writing) is not good enough and it's becoming a major concern.

"We've got to get a grip, produce some fight and turn this terrible run around."

The horror series of results included the county's first two defeats at Southend's Garon Park, where Essex had been unbeaten in four previous matches.

And Irani is anxious that the same thing will happen at the county's second festiva, at Colchester's Castle Park, later this month.

"Losing twice at Southend last week was a disaster," he added.

"Festival weeks are for winning. Southend and Colchester have been our fortresses and we've got to make sure they are again.

"To do that we need to score heavily and frankly our batsmen are coming third and fourth in two horse races at the moment."

Essex have struggled to replace the runs of Irani and Andy Flower - who left to coach England in April - but Irani believes the county's young stars have the talent to turn things round.

"The quality is still there.The only problem is, the boys need to produce the goods day in, day out, week in week out. The team is packed with great attitudes, but the lads have to use those attitudes to perform and be the best."