Essex’s discover now turns to Taunton where Lancashire need to beat Somerset to bewitch the Division One title slump into the penultimate week
Essex 369 for 9 dec (Chopra 98, Lawrence 78, Foster 68, Barker 3-71) beat Warwickshire 201 (Sibley 76, Porter 4-62, Harmer 4-47) and 112 (Harmer 4-25, Porter 3-37, Cook dinner 3-42) by an innings and 56 runs
Essex nearly sealed their seventh Specsavers County Championship title by polishing off an innings-and-56-runs victory over relegation-sure Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Trailing by 168 on first innings, the dwelling side was once bowled out for 112 to luxuriate in their second thumping of the season at the palms of Essex who hammered them by an innings and 164 runs at Chelmsford in June.
With second-positioned Lancashire on the support foot in opposition to Somerset at Taunton, the title is all however Essex’s after they totalled outplayed Warwickshire. The post-match mood within the two dressing-rooms at Edgbaston might perchance maybe maybe also no longer had been contrasting – while Essex will open up the 2018 season as defending champions, Warwickshire will most certainly be in Division Two, their 9-twelve months discontinue within the tip flight having come to a bruising cease.
Warwickshire resumed on third morning on 9 without loss and any hopes harboured by their supporters of seeing some rediscovered resilience from their personnel evaporated in minutes. Within ten overs, the Bears lurched to 25 for four.
Jamie Porter eradicated openers Dominic Sibley, caught at the origin trail, and Sam Hain, lbw, within the house of 9 balls. Broken-down England pair Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell were uprooted by Sam Cook dinner, who induced the veteran to play on and had the latter caught within the support of, inner-edging a unbelievable supply.
Chris Woakes diverted spinner Simon Harmer’s tenth ball to leg trail and the arrival of rain correct earlier than and all the draw by means of the lunch interval merely delayed the procession.
From 55 for 5 at lunch, Warwickshire lost one other wicket earlier than buying one other bustle as Alex Mellor edged to whisk off Harmer to provide the spinner’s 20th championship wicket in opposition to Warwickshire this season. Porter then meted out a pair to Keith Barker when the left-hander edged to wicketkeeper James Foster.
Edgbaston academy product Matt Lamb confirmed his skill with some trusty resistance for the second time within the game however, on 35 (66 balls, four fours), lofted Harmer to Dan Lawrence on the midwicket boundary.
Lawrence took one other gorgeous utilize, working round from gully, to scheme shut Jeetan Patel off Cook dinner, leaving closing pair Henry Brookes and Ryan Sidebottom with 63 to search out to develop Essex bat all over again. They managed seven of them earlier than Brookes edged Harmer to whisk.
