Lancashire enjoy best of relegation battle with Essex

Lancashire enjoyed a fruitful day with both bat and ball against relegation doomed Essex with the visitors taking a major step forward to fashioning the win that would virtually ensure their First Division status.

Having taken their first innings to 423, the visitors dismissed half the Essex side for 98 to exert a strong grip on the match. Lancashire completed their full quota of bonus batting points adding another 107 runs in the morning session before being dismissed on the lunch interval with Ronnie Irani returning career-best figures of 6-67 although his side were only able to take two bowling points.

Chris Schofield had reached his third half-century of the season from 77 balls. He hit six boundaries before finishing unbeaten on a career-best 80 before running out of partners, although his ninth wicket partnership with John Wood saw the addition of 50 runs.

Essex made a brisk start reaching 39 but the introduction of Joe Scuderi into the attack provided Lancashire with immediate reward as the medium-pacer trapped Darren Robinson leg before wicket for 13 with his first delivery.

However rain brought the players off the field straight away with Essex 39-1 and 31 overs were lost before play resumed at 4.35 p.m.

The visitors quickly made up for lost time with Glen Chapple soon removing Grayson, who was beaten by pace, with the scoreboard yet to progress. Neither Stephen Peters or Stuart Law looked entirely at ease against a ball that swung and Scuderi produced an away swinger that Law edged to the 'keeper to leave the home side on 74-3 with the mainstay of their bating having departed for 18.

And Lancashire enhanced their promising start by capturing two further wickets in successive overs, one through the unlikely source of Neil Fairbrother who had been brought into the attack because of the fading light. The left-armer claimed only the seventh first-class wicket of a 20-year career when he produced an outswinger with his gentle medium-pace that rapped Irani on the pads to gain the decision and receive the overwhelming adulation of his team-mates.

In the next over, the 31st, Peters dabbed outside his off stump at a ball from Chapple and gave Haynes his second catch and leave the home side once again in some disarray.

Bad light brought a premature end with another four overs lost and Essex face a huge task if they are to avoid defeat. They will still require another 151 to avoid the follow-on when play resumes in the morning.