Cook helps Essex beat main rivals

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Chelmsford:
Essex 253-8 dec & 242-6 beat Northants 299 & 195 by four wickets(Essex 19pts, Northants 4pts)

Match scorecard

Alastair Cook has gone past 50 in first-class cricket eight times this season

Essex claimed pole position in the race for the second Division Two promotion place as they squeaked home to a narrow four-wicket win over Northants.

Chris Wright took 4-43 as Northants, 41-2 overnight, were bowled out for just 159, setting Essex 242 to win.

But England opener Alastair Cook got Essex off to a great start with 87, backed by 46 from John Maunders.

One-day specialist Graham Napier then hit 22 off 14 balls to see Essex home on 242-6 with just a ball to spare.

The winning run came courtesy of a bye as Napier and Tom Westley smashed 37 in only four overs to clinch victory.

That followed an incisive spell from Johannes Van der Wath, who threatened to derail Essex's push for victory by taking 5-71, including the first four of the innings - all caught by wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien.

His good work left Essex at 205-6, only to then undo it by being hit for a six and two fours in an over by Napier as Essex chased 28 off the last 18 balls.

Northants had resumed on 41-2, a lead of 87, having been credited with an extra two runs after the scorers failed to note a no-ball the previous evening.

But that only served to fire Wright up as he took 3-37 in an eight-over spell to turn the game in his side's favour.

Napier also chipped in with three quick wickets, but the crucial breakthrough came from Danish Kaneria by removing Andrew Hall to end a partnership of 60 for the eighth wicket between the South African all-rounder and David Lucas.

Essex now leapfrog into second in Division Two, three points clear of Northants going into the final round of dames. But they face a tough test in their final game at Derby (23-26 September, 1030 BST).

Fourth-placed Derbyshire know that victory over Essex could yet sneak them promotion, or let third-placed Northants, who end their campaign at home to bottom club Leicestershire, in.

Essex coach Paul Grayson told BBC Essex:

"We knew we had to take early wickets and we did exactly that. I thought Chris Wright was brilliant and put the ball in the right area.

"It was good conditions to bowl in - overcast and cloudy.

"But we still bowled really well and took our wickets.

"There was a little partnership when the ball got softer, but we stuck to it and we felt we could chase down any score. All credit to the guys. They were brilliant."