Nottinghamshire feel relegation pinch as Essex seal innings victory

Essex 457 beat Nottinghamshire 93 (Porter 5-35, Harmer 4-16) and 281 (Hameed 105, Harmer 4-93) by an innings and 83 runs

Simon Harmer claimed his second four-wicket haul of the Vitality County Championship match as Essex wrapped up an innings victory over Nottinghamshire before lunch on the final day.

The South African off-spinner finished with 4 for 93 as Nottinghamshire’s batting collapsed for a second time in double-quick time to lose by an innings and 83 runs.

The relegation-threatened visitors folded from their overnight 180 for 2, still needing 184 to make Essex bat again, losing their remaining eight wickets in 38 overs while adding 101 runs in an extended morning session. They had conceded a 364-run deficit on first innings when bowled out for just 93.

Harmer, who added two wickets in the morning, was ably supported by Sam Cook and Paul Walter, who took two wickets apiece to condemn Nottinghamshire to their fourth defeat of the season.

Needing to take eight wickets to claim their first win in five games, Essex made early inroads. Cook sent back the two overnight batsmen, Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke, inside the first 20 minutes to end their 137-run third-wicket stand. Hameed shaped to play the ball down to third man and was lbw after advancing his score by five to 105 from 166 balls.

Clarke followed, chasing a delivery outside off-stump for Harmer to take the catch high to his right at second slip.

Jack Haynes and Kyle Verreynne weighed anchor, scoring at two an over for a dozen overs before Walter struck twice in the space of three balls. Haynes departed for eight from 48 balls, aiming to play to leg but getting a leading edge back to the bowler. Lyndon James then fell to a spectacular flying catch at cover by Shane Snater.

The new ball accounted for Liam Patterson-White slashing at the third delivery from Jamie Porter with Michael Pepper moving across the claim in front of first slip.

The new Kookaburra was only six overs old when Harmer returned and with his fourth delivery had Rob Lord lobbing the ball into bat-pad’s hands. Two balls later Luke Fletcher fell for a three-ball pair when he was bowled.

With one wicket standing, Essex claimed the extra half-hour but found Verreynne in obdurate mood for his unbeaten 38. Sixteen-year-old Farhan Ahmed was learning on the job before he nicked behind Snater’s second ball of the seventh extra over.