Essex's batsmen fell in a heap at Lord's after Ben Hutton scored his fifth first-class century.

In response to the hosts' 363, Essex lost 8-59 with Simon Cook returning 3-7 in 10 overs.

Ashley Noffke and Chad Keegan, both missing from Middlesex's draw with Zimbabwe last week, also figured with two wickets each.

Essex openers Darren Robinson and Will Jefferson had put on 29 runs before the latter's dismissal sparked a slide that saw four wickets fall for 17 runs as the rot set in.

Resuming play on 178-4, Middlesex pushed their first-innings score out to 363 thanks to Hutton's 107 and half-centuries to Abdul Razzaq and Paul Weekes.

Hutton was removed by Jon Dakin, who on Wednesday reduced Middlesex to 23-3 and finished with figures of 5-86.

Middlesex: A J Strauss (Capt), S G Koenig, O A Shah, D C Nash, E C Joyce, Abdul Razzaq, P N Weekes, B L Hutton, S J Cook A A Noffke, C B Keegan.

Essex: D D J Robinson, W I Jefferson, A P Grayson (Capt), A Flower, A Habib, J S Foster, R S Bopara, J M Dakin, J D Middlebrook, G R Napier, S A Brant.