LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Chelmsford:
Lancashire 312 & 38-2 beat Essex 176 & 173 by eight wickets
Lancs 22pts Essex 3pts
Match scorecard

Anderson finished with match figures of 9-97

James Anderson will travel to the ICC World Twenty20 full of confidence after finishing with match figures of 9-97 as Lancashire hammered Essex.

The England paceman took three second innings wickets as Essex were rolled over for under 200 for the second time.

Sajid Mahmood (3-18) and Glen Chapple (2-60) were also amongst the wickets.

Lancashire lost Tom Smith and Stephen Moore in knocking off the 38 needed to win by eight wickets and make it two wins out of two in the championship.

Resuming on 46-2, still 90 behind, Essex needed a long and productive innings from England opener Alastair Cook if they were going to make a real fight of it. For nearly an hour Cook and Jaik Mickleburgh kept Lancashire at bay, Cook going to his half century with a cover driven boundary off Chapple, but in the same over he touched an out-swinger to wicketkeeper Luke Sutton.

Mahmood then struck with his third delivery to end the resistance of Mickleburgh, who was caught down the leg side by Sutton for 22.

Essex's hopes of avoiding a heavy defeat disappeared with the loss of three wickets in eight balls shortly before lunch. James Foster was caught behind off Tom Smith, and Ryan ten Doeschate and Tim Phillips were both dismissed for ducks in the following over from Mahmood.

Mark Pettini's resistance ended when he was bowled by Anderson but the tail provided a brief and entertaining flourish before left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan brought the innings to an end by having Chris Wright stumped.

Chapple's five wickets in the match took his career first-class total for Lancashire to 699.

Left with their modest target, Lancashire lost Smith to Maurice Chambers with only three runs on the board while Moore fell to left-arm spinner Phillips, before the winning post was reached.

BBC Radio Lancashire's Scott Read reflects on Lancashire's victory:
"Not since 2002 have Lancashire won their opening two championship games, so the start to the 2010 cricket season for coach Peter Moores really could not have been better.

"Lancashire dominated from day one and they never really looked back.

"A fine first-innings century from Paul Horton and a nine-wicket haul from James Anderson, before he leaves for England duty, will take the headlines, but this was very much a team performance - and it is that which will please Moores and captain Glen Chapple the most.

"Oh, and a word for wicketkeeper Luke Sutton - brilliant behind the wickets with five catches and a stumping in this match, not bad when some suggest his place in the team might be under threat."

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