Jon Dakin appeals for lbw against Graeme Lloyd

Irani started a regular flow of wickets with a touch onto a Mark Chilton drive, in his follow-through, which hit the stumps at the bowler's end to dismiss the unlucky Alec Swann.

New-ball partner Cowan then claimed two victims in four overs.

Glen Chapple edged a delivery that left him off the pitch to be caught well at second slip by Darren Robinson, moving to his left.

And extra bounce accounted for Stuart Law, as Andy Flower held an inside edge behind.

Chilton held the innings together as others fell around him but succumbed for 42, slicing a wide half-volley from Andy Clarke to Nasser Hussain at backward point.

Hussain then surpassed that catch with an acrobatic effort, holding a thick outside edge from Andrew Flintoff (45) at full length to his left off Graham Napier's medium pace.

Neil Fairbrother became Napier's second victim, leg before wicket, and Chris Schofield was run out before Cowan cleaned up the tail.

Hussain and Darren Robinson were never troubled by Lancashire's seamers and Essex completed their facile run chase at 1630 BST.

Robinson was finally out for a 67-ball knock of 59 as Fairbrother took a catch at short mid-wicket off Schofield, while Hussain finished on 83 not out off 96 balls with three sixes.

Essex: N Hussain, D D J Robinson, G R Napier, A Flower (Wkt), R C Irani (Capt), A Habib, A P Grayson, J M Dakin, J P Stephenson, A P Cowan, A J Clarke.

Lancashire: M J Chilton, G Chapple, N H Fairbrother, S G Law, A Flintoff (Capt), G D Lloyd, A J Swann (Wkt), C P Schofield, J Wood, P J Martin, K W Hogg.

Umpires: G I Burgess and A G T Whitehead