In beating Surrey by an innings and two runs, Essex gave their hopes of promotion a massive boost at Colchester yesterday. The Brown Caps, on the other hand, were left to reflect upon being turned over in three days; although Ronnie Irani's men did need to claim the extra half hour in order to kill off the visitors, who were dismissed for their lowest championship total of the season.

There should be no need for the Brown Caps to panic just yet, however. Their advantage at the top of the Division Two table is still a healthy 29 points, and they have only ever lost three of Mark Butcher's 32 four-day matches in charge.

But of those reverses, this one must undoubtedly rate as the feeblest. Just when they needed to pull together to compensate for the absence of Clarke and Ramprakash, Surrey lacked application and approached the game as if they expected the indifferent weather to come to their rescue.

Fourteen wickets fell on what proved to be the final day, beginning with James Foster's thick outside edge to gully off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood. Half an hour later Andy Bichel mistimed an off drive and was caught at mid-off.

James Middlebrook was fortunate to survive an edge off Neil Saker, but, instead, moved to the third hundred of his career in 172 deliveries, with 12 fours and a six, by dabbing Nayan Doshi to third man for two.

Middlebrook then had a rush of blood and was stumped and with Alex Tudor driving Doshi to mid-off the visitors only needed to make 200 to make Essex bat again.

It proved beyond them. Furthermore, other than Jonathan Batty, who was first to go, to one that kept low, and Clinton and Salisbury, perhaps, they all perished to rash shots or poor examples of cricket, like when Brown called his skipper through for a quick single when survival was surely the top priority.

That moment of madness, combined with Stewart Walters cutting uncontrollably and Scott Newman departing to an ugly heave - which presented a straightforward catch to Andy Flower moving from leg slip to slip - left the Brown Caps 99 for four at tea.

After offering decent resistance, Richard Clinton was pinned on the crease by Bichel and Azhar was caught at forward short leg off Middlebrook. Alistair Brown flicked Bichel through mid-wicket to reach his fifty in 78 deliveries, but despite top scoring with 63 was caught at gully chasing a wide ball from Mervyn Westfield.

Saker was then snapped up at silly point off bat and pad, Salisbury was bowled through the gate and Doshi gave an obliging edge to the keeper.

GO TO:

BACK TO: