Opener Daryl Mitchell hit his first Championship hundred of the summer as Worcestershire beat Essex to extend their lead at the top of Division Two.

Set a target of 347 at Colchester, they reached 349-4 to win by six wickets after Mitchell led the way with 102.

He shared a third-wicket stand of 126 with Ben Smith, who made 82, before finally falling to Ryan ten Doeschate.

But veteran Graeme Hick struck a six and eight fours in a superb 78 not out as he and Steven Davies saw them home.

It was a dominant batting performance by the visitors, with the exception of skipper Vikram Solanki, who was caught first ball at short leg off James Middlebrook, immediately after Stephen Moore had departed for 50 in identical fashion.

Having declared on their overnight 322-8, Essex lacked a cutting edge as Mitchell and Moore put on 102 for the first wicket.

And although Middlebrook's double breakthrough temporarily checked Worcestershire's progress, the absence of Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who will not play again this summer because of a broken finger, was keenly felt.

Smith produced some fine shots on either side of the wicket as he passed 1,000 runs for the season, and it came as a surprise when he pulled Grant Flower's left-arm spin to backward square leg where Chris Wright took a good diving catch.

Mitchell reached his century off 187 balls, with nine fours, but only lasted four more before edging to Jason Gallian in the slips.

But Hick took up the leading role with supreme confidence as he and Davies (31 not out) finished the job in the final session.