This is a list of Essex first-class cricket records; that is, record team and individual performances in first-class cricket for Essex. Records for Essex in List A cricket, the shorter form of the game, are found at List of Essex List A cricket records.
Team notation: When a team score is listed as "300-3", this indicates that they have scored 300 runs for the loss of 3 wickets. If it is followed by a "d", this indicates that the side declared. When the team score is listed as "300", this means the side was all out.
Batting notation: When a batsman's score is listed as "100", the batsman scored 100 runs and was out. If it followed by an asterisk *, the batsman was not out.
Bowling notation: "5/100" indicates that the bowler took 5 wickets while conceding 100 runs.
Partnership notation: When partnership runs is listed as “100”, the partnership added 100 runs and was completed. If it is followed by an asterisk *, the partnership was unbroken (ie both batsmen not dismissed)
| Opposition | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied | Abandoned | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 183 | 79 | 31 | 73 | 0 | 1 | 43.16 |
| Durham | 20 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Glamorgan | 139 | 46 | 27 | 66 | 0 | 1 | 33.09 |
| Gloucestershire | 147 | 49 | 50 | 47 | 1 | 2 | 33.33 |
| Hampshire | 152 | 54 | 39 | 59 | 0 | 2 | 35.53 |
| Kent | 197 | 55 | 66 | 76 | 0 | 3 | 27.92 |
| Lancashire | 161 | 34 | 52 | 74 | 1 | 3 | 21.12 |
| Leicestershire | 173 | 51 | 41 | 81 | 0 | 2 | 29.48 |
| Middlesex | 174 | 41 | 55 | 78 | 0 | 2 | 25.29 |
| Northamptonshire | 179 | 56 | 44 | 78 | 1 | 2 | 31.28 |
| Nottinghamshire | 142 | 39 | 34 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 27.46 |
| Somerset | 151 | 60 | 37 | 53 | 1 | 3 | 39.74 |
| Surrey | 202 | 45 | 75 | 82 | 0 | 4 | 22.28 |
| Sussex | 156 | 49 | 40 | 66 | 1 | 0 | 31.41 |
| Warwickshire | 128 | 42 | 36 | 49 | 1 | 1 | 32.81 |
| Worcestershire | 153 | 48 | 35 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Yorkshire | 169 | 29 | 87 | 53 | 0 | 4 | 17.16 |
| Australian Imperial Forces | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Australians | 31 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 9.67 |
| Bangladeshis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Cambridge Marylebone Cricket Club University | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 42.86 |
| Cambridge University | 61 | 22 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 36.07 |
| Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Canadians | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Combined Services | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Commonwealth XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Dublin University | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| England A | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Indians | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 18.18 |
| Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamaica | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marylebone Cricket Club | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18.18 |
| New Zealanders | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21.43 |
| Oxford University | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 44.44 |
| Pakistanis | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| South Africa Fezelas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Africans | 12 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8.33 |
| Sri Lanka A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lankans | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TN Pearce's XI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| West Indians | 17 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5.88 |
| Zimbabweans | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2844 | 841 | 805 | 1192 | 6 | 32 | 29.57 |
| Source: CricketArchive . Abandoned matches are not included in the total number of matches. Last updated: 14 April 2025. | |||||||
| Total Runs | Opponents | Venue | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest for Essex | 761-6 d | v Leicestershire | Chelmsford | 1990 |
| Highest against Essex | 803-4 d | by Kent | Brentwood | 1934 |
| Lowest for Essex | 20 | v Lancashire | Chelmsford | 2013 |
| Lowest against Essex | 14 | by Surrey | Chelmsford | 1983 |
| Source: CricketArchive . Last updated: 26 September 2024. | ||||
| Runs | Batsman | Opponents | Venue | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest individual innings | 343* |  Percy Perrin | v Derbyshire | Chesterfield | 1904 |
| Most runs in a season for Essex | 2,559 | Graham Gooch | 1984 | ||
| Most runs in a career for Essex | 30,701 | Graham Gooch | 1973 - 1997 | ||
| Source: CricketArchive . Last updated: 26 September 2024. | |||||
| Analysis | Bowler | Opponents | Venue | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best innings analysis for Essex | 10/32 | Harry Pickett | v Leicestershire | Leyton | 1895 |
| Best match analysis for Essex | 17/119 | Walter Mead | v Hampshire | Southampton | 1895 |
| Wickets | Bowler | Season | |||
| Most wickets in a season for Essex | 172 | Peter Smith | 1947 | ||
| Most career wickets for Essex | 1,610 | Peter Smith | 1929 - 1951 | ||
| Source: CricketArchive . Last updated: 26 September 2024. | |||||
| Wicket Partnership | Runs | Batsmen | Opponents | Venue | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 373 | Nick Browne Alastair Cook | v Middlesex | Chelmsford | 2017 |
| 2nd | 403 | Graham Gooch Paul Prichard | v Leicestershire | Chelmsford | 1990 |
| 3rd | 347* |  Mark Waugh Nasser Hussain | v Lancashire | Ilford | 1992 |
| 4th | 314 |  Saleem Malik Nasser Hussain | v Surrey | The Oval | 1991 |
| 5th | 339 | James Foster Jaik Mickleburgh | v Durham | Chester-le-Street | 2010 |
| 6th | 253 | Adam Wheater James Foster | v Northants | Chelmsford | 2011 |
| 7th | 261 | Johnny Douglas John Freeman | v Lancashire | Leyton | 1914 |
| 8th | 263 | Denys Wilcox Reginald Taylor | v Warwickshire | Southend-on-Sea | 1946 |
| 9th | 251 | Johnny Douglas Steriker Hare | v Derbyshire | Leyton | 1921 |
| 10th | 218 | Frank Vigar Peter Smith | v Derbyshire | Chesterfield | 1947 |
| Source: CricketArchive . Last updated: 26 September 2024 | |||||