Essex duly completed a comfortable 10-wicket victory over Durham at the Riverside to virtually ensure a return to division one at the first attempt.

The county are just half a point away from confirming their return to the top flight, with fourth-placed Worcestershire nineteen and a half points behind.

Only complete failure to take any bonus points, an almost impossible scenario, from their final match with Nottinghamshire will prevent them from achieving their goal.

Durham resumed on Saturday morning still 13 runs behind Essex with three wickets remaining in their second innings.

Despite some resistance from Neil Killeen (23) and England's Steve Harmison (19 not out), they fell well short of setting Essex a challenging target.

Stand-in skipper Paul Grayson suitably claimed the final wicket, dismissing Killeen with the score on 314.

That set Essex just 39 to win and they did so in just eight overs, with Will Jefferson striking three fours and one six in an unbeaten 22.

Durham: M A Gough, G J Pratt, B J Hodge, G J Muchall, A M Thorpe, I Pattison, A Pratt (Wkt), I D Hunter, N C Phillips (Capt), N Killeen, S J Harmison.

Essex: D D J Robinson, W I Jefferson, J P Stephenson, M E Waugh, A Habib, A P Grayson (Capt), J S Foster (Wkt), J M Dakin, J D Middlebrook, G R Napier, J B Grant.

Essex won toss and decided to bat