Essex 'patient' on player search

Grayson guided Essex to promotion in 2009

Essex coach Paul Grayson insists he will take his time looking for new players this winter.

The county recently lost batsman Varun Chopra to Warwickshire and missed out on former England bowler Matthew Hoggard, who has joined Leicestershire.

Grayson told BBC Essex: "There's still a long time in the winter for players to become available.

"We'd like a strike bowler, but he's got to be the right person to bring to the club."

Grayson added that he has asked for more from some of his younger players when the return next year.

"One or two of our younger players didn't quite kick on as much as we'd liked. I've asked them to come back better players and give us a bit of a headache when it comes to selection," he said.

"So if we don't get anybody, it won't be a panic, because we've got a good squad."

Essex were in the running to sign Hoggard, but Grayson says they couldn't match Leicestershire's offer.

He added: "We had good talks with him, I think the enticement of being a county captain was of real importance to him so we lost out.

"I wouldn't say we were one of the favourites to get him because his financial package was probably more than we wanted to pay."