Russell performed well, scoring two half-centuries, and making twenty-seven catches and six stumpings as a wicket-keeper.

Essex performed well throughout this season, finishing third in the County Championship with seven wins under their belt from a sixteen-match campaign.

1898 was Russell's second-highest scoring season, despite him playing six more first-class matches than in his highest, two years previously.

While the opening few years of the 20th century proved a goldmine for Russell, a consistent batsman amongst a number of inconsistent players, he would not reach the dizzy heights of his three century innings in the second half of his career that he did in the first, making a top score in his final five seasons of just 54 and moving, towards the end of his career, back to the tailend of the Essex batting line-up where he spent occasional matches in his early years at the club.

Russell later joined a growing list of first-class cricketing umpires, taking charge of 150 matches between 1912 and 1925.