ESSEX coach Paul Grayson said the club are “shocked” and “frustrated” by the two-match ban handed to their skipper James Foster.

The 31-year-old wicketkeeper received the punishment after at least five of his players broke various rules over the last year.

The club were also fined £5,000, and ordered to pay £300 costs, by an England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary panel yesterday.

Grayson said: “We were all a bit shocked. We thought we would get a fine and a wrap on the knuckles about our future behaviour.

“We were called in a for a three-hour meeting at Lord’s on Tuesday.

“The minimum fine we could have got was £2,000, so we felt the £5,000 fine, along with losing our skipper for two key games, was a bit harsh.

“And from what the panel said there have been a lot of incidents of dissent reported this year, and they want to stamp it out.

“We have had one incident this year with Fozzy, and other counties have had two or three which have not been highlighted.

“So we feel they have really gone to town on us, but there is not a lot we can do about it.

“We are discussing the option of appealing against it.

“But we would not be able to get a panel together in such a short time, so it still means we will be without Fozzy for those two games.

“And that is very frustrating for us.”

Grayson said Adam Wheater will deputise behind the stumps in Foster’s absence, and that will mean another batsman being brought into the middle order for the Twetny20 games against Hampshire tonight and Glamorgan on Friday.

Essex return to the Rose Bowl tonight for the first time since last season’s Twenty20 finals day.

And in the hosts, Hampshire, they will face the side who squeaked past them in the semis on that rain-swept day in August.

And while tonight’s game may lack the occasion of that encounter, it is probably as important to Paul Grayson’s inconsistent side.

Essex currently occupy the fourth and final knock-out qualification spot from the southern ‘group of death’.

And a win against the group leaders tonight is crucial if they want to stave off the challenge of Kent and Surrey, who both have one game in hand on the Eagles.

Kent are at second-bottom Gloucestershire tonight, and Surrey go to basement boys Middlesex tomorrow.

But Essex are full of confidence right now following their stunning 65-run win over reigning champions Somerset on Monday.

And they will also take heart from the 26-run defeat they inflicted on Hampshire at the County Ground a fortnight ago, a result which remains the Royals’ only defeat in this year’s competition.

Essex have named a squad which includes Scott Styris, whose calf injury will be assessed shortly before the match.

But the game has come too soon for all-rounder Graham Napier, although he could be fit to face Glamorgan at the County Ground on Friday.

Essex squad: Pettini, Wheater, Shah, Bopara, Walker, ten Doeschate, Styris, Phillips, Southee, Wright, Masters, Craddock.

* There are limited number of tickets still available Friday's home clash with Glamorgan.

They can be bought by calling 01245 254010, in person at the County Ground, or online www.essexcricket.org.uk.