A FORMER Shenfield High School pupil shone with the ball against Essex as the county cricket season began in earnest last weekend.
Matt Salisbury, who turns 20 later this month, took four wickets for Cambridge UCCE in Essex's opening first-class game of the season.
He opened the bowling in both innings, and in the first claimed the scalp of Australian batsman Rob Quiney for just five, before also removing Tom Westley (58) and Ravi Bopara (four) on his way to figures of 3-64.
Essex racked up 328-5 in their first innings, thanks to a hundred from Mark Pettini, before skittling Cambridge UCCE for 99, with Salisbury scoring five batting at number eight.
The professionals put the University side's bowlers to the sword in the second innings, scoring 420-3, with Westley, Quiney and Ben Foakes all scoring tons, and James Foster adding 67 before becoming Salisbury's third victim with Test match experience.
Salisbury finished with 1-58 second time around, before putting his feet up in the pavilion as the game finished in a draw.
Salisbury – who also plays for Essex 2nd XI – said: "I wouldn't say we had any particularly special plans with the new ball.
"We know that the new ball is always key at Fenner's and the pitch really flattens out later in the day.
"We just had to make sure that we got the ball in the right area and we would be able to cause problems.
"My main target for the season is to play a lot of second team cricket with Essex and put in good consistent performances, as well as having a successful year with Cambridge and defending our one day and two day titles."
Salisbury will be hoping to be in the wickets next when Cambridge UCCE play Middlesex at Fenner's on April 24-26.
