COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Northampton
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Essex 221 and 41-2, Northants 354(Northants 7pts, Essex 4pts)
6-9 May 2009 (Play starts 1100 BST)

Andrew Hall struck 58 to go with his five wickets on the first day

Half-centuries from Rob White, Rikki Wessels and Andrew Hall helped Northants take control against Essex on day two at Wantage Road.

Wessels (84), White (70) and Hall (58) led the home side to a first innings score of 354, a lead of 133.

Essex's Graham Napier, in his first Championship match since returning from the IPL, picked up figures of 4-107.

In reply, the visitors lost openers Varun Chopra and Jaik Mickleburgh to close on 41-2, a deficit of 92.

Essex all-rounder Graham Napier told BBC Essex:

"We haven't had the best two days but, if we're still batting on Saturday, we should be in a position to get a result.

"When wickets fell, they fell in patches so that's something for us to work on in the second innings.

"If we can get a lead of 100-150 then we're in the game."

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