By Oliver Brett

Ravi Bopara is no longer just an Essex player

Essex captain Ronnie Irani says his team has enough batting depth to cover the England call-ups of both Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara during the summer.

The club have also lost opener Will Jefferson to Nottinghamshire, but Irani is confident Essex can start strongly.

The Chelmsford-based club have enjoyed a smooth pre-season build-up and Irani told BBC Sport: "We've got Alastair for the first six weeks anyway.

"And we've also got Andy and Grant Flower, and young Varun Chopra."

Bopara's brave half-century against Sri Lanka in the World Cup, when he all but got England home after coming into bat in a precarious situation, inevitably impressed his county captain.

Irani said: "It was a great effort from him, and he's a fine young player.

"You could say a star was born. We have always known he has been a superstar and now he's proved it at the top level.

The one-day competions are vital to the financial well-being of the club Ronnie Irani

"He's got a cool head and he believes in himself.

"He's a fine player and I just hope that England don't miss a trick by thinking he's potentially a good finisher who could bat low down the order.

"The truth of the matter is he could be a number three and finish the game with a century."

Essex fans may think Bopara's elevation to England ranks comes at a price, but Irani does not see it that way.

He said: "Obviously at Essex we want to win games and be successful, but part of our duty as county captains is to produce England cricketers."

Bopara is looking forward to appearing in Irani's side as much as possible, however.

Flower plays a reverse sweep in Essex's pre-season Dubai tour

A text from the 21-year-old to Irani, beeping its way onto Ronnie's phone during our brief interview, reads: "Well done to you and the boys [for beating Surrey in a pre-season friendly.]

"We are the one-day kings and I can't wait to play for Essex again."

Another batsman who has been featuring strongly in pre-season matches is Tom Westley, a right-hander who has just turned 18.

He was named in the side to play against Sri Lanka last summer, but did not face a ball. His captain remains excited about his talents.

Interestingly, Dutch star Ryan ten Doeschate, despite his two World Cup half-centuries, will not be a certain starter in the Championship team.

Irani said: "We've got some good players around. When we come to our first game we'll decide, but at the moment it's a free draw."

In terms of bowling, Essex will get a stint from South Africa paceman Andre Nel until mid-June, before veteran Australian Andy Bichel takes over.

Andre Nel running through Bangladesh's top order in Guyana

Darren Gough's move to Yorkshire has been compensated by the arrival of Darren Thomas from Glamorgan, while young paceman Jahid Ahmed will surely get some more regular action this season.

Pakistan's Danish Kaneria will lead an ever-improving spin unit, with Tim Phillips and Jamie Middlebrook battling for the second slow bowling spot.

After a 10-day tour of Dubai and two victories over Surrey in a couple of one-day friendlies just before Easter, Irani is in good spirits.

But despite winning a one-day trophy in each of the past two seasons, the focus must be on promotion to Division One in the Championship, is it not?

Not so, said Irani.

"I don't think you are allowed to focus on one competition really.

"We would be letting down our members and supporters if we did that.