Three of the four Essex teams qualified out of the SCCU “zonal” to enter the ECF Final stage of the Counties Championship. We now know the first opponents in the ECF Final stage of the CC. In each case, the date given below is the Saturday default date for that stage of the competition, which can be changed by agreement, within limits (the date can be before the default date or the Sunday after, in the same weekend). The full draw is shown in the Knockout table for each section, linked below.
Essex U2050 qualified as SCCU Champions. The U1850 team finished third, behind Kent and Surrey, but Surrey did not wish to take up their place so Essex U1850 were offered and accepted the second nomination. The Essex U1450 team finished third in the SCCU zonal and were offered and accepted the third place. (“If five or more teams complete their fixtures without defaulting a match, the Union may nominate three counties for the Final Stage of that section”.)
The Draw for the ECF Final stage (first named team in each case is the nominated home team):
U2050 Essex v Cleveland – Semi-Final 13 June 2026
U2050 knockout table
U1850 Merseyside v Essex – Preliminary round 25 April 2026
U1850 Knockout table
U1650 Essex did not qualify
U1450 Notts v Essex – Quarter-Final 9 May 2026
U1450 Knockout table
SCCU Jamborees
Before that, we have the SCCU County teams’ Jamborees, the U2050 for the intriguingly-named “Beer Pump” trophy, and the U1825 John Philpott. Saturday 18 April, 1:30pm closer to home this year at Wanstead House.
Links: U2050 page | U1850 page | U1450 page | ECF Counties Championship