County Championship D2, Leicester, day two (close): Leics 226-4 v Essex 486James Foster completed his first century of the season to put Essex in a strong position at Grace Road.
The wicket-keeper quickly added the six runs he needed to take him to three figures, while Andy Bichel blasted four sixes in his 75 in a total of 486.
Essex will now be promoted providing Worcestershire do not win at Northants.
Bichel trapped John Maunders and Tom New with successive deliveries, but former Essex opener Darren Robinson hit 80 as the Foxes closed on 226-4.
Robinson began the rescue process with a third-wicket stand of 108 in 29 overs with John Sadler.
His fifty came from only 67 balls and by the time he was bowled by one that kept low from Ravi Bopara he had struck 17 boundaries.
With the score still on 129 Darren Maddy cut Bopara to point, but Sadler and James Allenby weathered a hostile spell from Bichel with an unbroken stand of 97, Sadler riding his luck a little in a fifty containing six fours and a six.
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