Only way is up for Pettini's men

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But the 24-year-old batsman will have learned plenty from a difficult first season in charge and has enough talent around him at Chelmsford to be optimistic about the future.

Having averaged 45 and scored a double hundred in first-class cricket in 2006, Pettini was being tipped for an England call-up early last summer. That did not come - and nor did the runs, with the man chosen to succeed Ronnie Irani as skipper failing to total 600 in the championship's second tier.

Throw in Pro40 League relegation and the disappointment of being beaten in a low-scoring thriller by Durham in the Friends Provident Trophy semi-final and Essex hardly had a season to savour.

This, though, is the county that has produced England pair Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara, so plenty must be going right. Pettini may one day follow those two into the England fold, while James Foster is an unlucky wicketkeeper when it comes to international recognition and the promising youngsters have now been joined by more senior figures in batsman Jason Gallian (from Nottinghamshire) and paceman David Masters (Leicestershire).

One promotion, at least, is not beyond Essex during Pettini's second term in charge.