ESSEX Eagles have ended another frustrating CB40 campaign as back-to-back defeats condemned them to fifth place in Group A.
Although a semi-final spot was already out of Essex's grasp leaders Lancashire Lightning handed them an eight-wicket defeat before Middlesex Panthers won a rain-affected match by 54 runs on the Duckworth Lewis method.
Those losses ensured the county's limited overs campaign ended on a low note.
It was the second consecutive season they have failed to reach the last four and head coach Paul Grayson is adamant that things need to change next term in the One Day format.
He said: "It was very disappointing. We went through a decent spell when we won three and played some decent cricket but the last two performances were very, very disappointing, especially against Middlesex.
"To finish fifth out of seven is very, very poor. We started badly, had a decent middle and finished badly.
"It's an area we're gong to have to look at managing, our One-Day performances have been average at best this year. It's something we will be reviewing and trying to put right for next year."
Attentions have now turned to LV>County Championship Division Two where Essex still have an outside chance of promotion.
On Tuesday they started a four-day clash against leaders Derbyshire, knowing a win was a must with 24 points to make up on second-placed Hampshire and only three games left.
Leading wicket-taker David Masters passed a fitness test on his side injury while Indian twirler Harbhajan Singh has returned to India on international duty. That meant leg-spinning youngster Tom Craddock earned a rare start at the County Ground, Derby.
Grayson thinks two wins out of the last three could be enough to go up and has warned his team against playing 'outrageous cricket'.
He said: "What we want is to go in to the last game of the season against Yorkshire with a chance," he said.
"We don't want to play outrageous cricket and throw it all away but of course we'd like to win the game, that goes without saying.
"I suppose the good thing is that our last three championship games are all against teams above us, so if we can take points off them, our four-day cricket has been very solid of late, then we're in with a chance.
"We know how difficult that's going to be. Derby have found a method that's worked for them and they've been very consistent this year.
"It's down to us to put in a massive effort and hope the weather stays good and hopefully we'll play some very positive cricket."
This week youngsters Reece Topley and Ben Foakes both returned from the ICC Under 19 World Cup.
They are both set to be in contention for next week's championship game against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl that starts this Tuesday (September 4).
