A NUMBER of Essex’s star names will be missing as the club edges closer to the new cricket season.

Essex face Worcestershire at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford in a two-day friendly, starting today at 11am.

And they will be without recent England captain Alastair Cook, who is taking a breather after his successful tour of Bangladesh, while Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier are both away at the Indian Premier League.

Wicket-keeper James Foster is in Dubai playing for the MCC against Durham in the season’s curtain-raiser, and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is not expected to join up with the county until just before the opening LV= County Championship fixture against Hampshire on April 9.

With seamer Tony Palladino also a possible absentee due to injury, it leaves Essex down to the bare bones and skipper Mark Pettini will lead out a side without a huge amount of Essex appearances between them.

James Middlebrook, Jason Gallian, Varun Chopra and Jahid Ahmed have all left the club since last season, which will give further opportunities to the likes of Tom Westley, Jaik Mickleburgh and Maurice Chambers.

It did not stop them performing well in Barbados, though, where Essex enjoyed the benefits of two weeks in warm weather conditions as they prepared for the more serious action to come.

Coach Paul Grayson said: “The lads worked really hard out in Barbados and it was a very pleasing trip.

“We got better as the trip progressed which was good and all the lads got the opportunity to show what they could do.

“Confidence and spirit is excellent in the camp and we are looking forward to a strong start to the season.”

“We will be selecting our strongest available teams for the friendly matches with Worcestershire and then Bradford/Leeds UCCE (starting on Saturday) because we are taking both matches very seriously.

“The intention is to play 96-overs per side against Worcestershire with three two-hour sessions each day like a normal Championship match so that both teams have a good batting and bowling work-out, but we’ll have to see what happens with the weather.”

Essex fans are still being kept on tenterhooks as to the identity of Essex’s overseas Twenty20 signing.

The club has revealed an interntional player is set to sign, and they are just waiting for clarification from the player’s international board.

Essex squad versus Worcestershire: Mark Pettini (Captain), Billy Godleman, John Maunders, Tom Westley, Matthew Walker, Grant Flower, Jaik Mickleburgh, Ryan ten Doeschate, Adam Wheater, Tim Phillips, Chris Wright, David Masters, Maurice Chambers, Mervyn Westfield and Michael Comber.