COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Chelmsford:
Essex 154 & 328 beat Nottinghamshire 180 & 159 by 143 runs
Essex 19pts, Nottinghamshire 3pts
Match scorecard

Maurice Chambers picked up a career-best 6-68 in the first innings

Essex produced a turn-up as they beat title hopefuls Nottinghamshire by 143 runs inside three days at Chelmsford.

After reaching 328 in their second innings to set Notts 302 to win, Essex bowled the visitors out for 159.

Paceman Maurice Chambers ripped out four of the first five before Ali Brown (62) tried to repair the damage.

But spinner Danish Kaneria then took over, taking 4-51 himself, to back up Chambers (4-55), who finished with match figures of 10-123.

It was only Essex's second Championship win of the season, while Notts' second defeat of the summer ensures that Yorkshire stay top.

It all added up to a great start for James Foster, captaining Essex for the first time in the Championship in the wake of Mark Pettini's resignation.

Essex had advanced from an overnight 265-4 to 328 all out, Andre Adams (4-57) and Charlie Shreck (4-81) doing most of the damage.

But the only Notts resistance of note was provided by Mark Wagh and Alistair Brown, who shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 53.

That stand was broken when Chambers knocked out Wagh's off stump following an opening spell in which he got rid of Alex Hales, Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney in a 28-ball spell costing 17 runs.

Kaneria's four wickets all arrived during the course of a 22-delivery spell in which Notts folded.

Brown followed up his unbeaten 50 in the first innings with a robust 62, before David Masters had him caught at wide third man. And Kaneria then wrapped it all up, Chambers, appropriately enough taking the winning catch.

Essex skipper James Foster said:

"It was a great way to start. To come back the way we did was an incredible effort, especially after we had lost half our side cheaply on the opening morning.

"After we had been bowled out cheaply in the first innings I told the lads they needed to show character if we were to get back into the game and they responded magnificently.

"To restrict them to a slender lead was a fine effort and then we batted well to get over 300 in the second innings.

"I regard Notts as one of the best sides in the Championship and our success will have set down a marker."

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