Walker sees Essex to Bristol win

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Bristol
Gloucestershire v Essex
21-24 April
DAY THREE: Essex (177 and 101-3) beat Gloucestershire (155 and 119) by seven wickets(Essex 17pts, Glos 3pts)

Glos v Essex match scorecard

Ryan ten Doeschate took eight wickets in the match at Nevil Road

Matthew Walker kept his nerve to see Essex home to their first County Championship win of the season.

Gloucestershire added only four runs to their overnight score to be bowled out for 119, Ryan ten Doeschate taking the final wicket of Vikram Banerjee.

That left Essex needing just 98 to win and, despite an early scare when they were reduced to 6-2, they eventually sealed a seven-wicket win.

Walker (48) and skipper Mark Pettini (28) wrapped it up just after lunch.

It took the visitors only 13 balls to bring Gloucestershire's second innings to a close when Banerjee edged ten Doeschate, who ended with match figures of 8-97, to wicketkeeper James Foster, who held on to his ninth catch of the game to equal an Essex record for dismissals by a gloveman.

His efforts equalled those of K L Gibson, who held seven catches and made two stumpings against Derbyshire at Leyton in 1911, and David East, who held nine catches against Sussex at Hove in 1983.

Essex's early wobble saw Varun Chopra caught by Craig Spearman at first slip off Steve Kirby in only the second over, before Jaik Mickleburgh was trapped lbw by Jon Lewis.

Jason Gallian (11) followed at 46-3 when he edged Ian Saxelby to Spearman, but Walker and Pettini ensured they did not throw away a match-winning position in a low-scoring game.

Essex coach Paul Grayson told BBC Essex:

"It was a good all-round team performance. It wasn't an easy pitch to bat on and the ball has dominated this game.

"Matthew Walker has been a good signing and has made a big impact on our side. I'm really pleased that he's fitted in, he's a good character, and he's a good player which is the most important thing.

"He needed a fresh challenge away from Kent, he's often been a thorn in our side, so we were delighted when he became available and I think he'll have a big season for us."