David Masters bowls Essex to Leicestershire win

David Masters moved from Grace Road to Chelmsford for the 2008 season

A devastating haul of eight wickets in eight overs from David Masters helped Essex to a stunning 280-run victory against his old county Leicestershire.

Chasing 315 to win, the visitors were all out for just 34 - their lowest first-class total in 46 years.

Earlier, Masters (48) offered good support to Ravi Bopara (178) as Essex moved on from 168-4 to 372 all out.

That left the game looking finely balanced until Masters embarked on the best spell of his career, taking 8-10.

it all took just 72 minutes as Masters recorded the best figures in English first-class cricket this summer.

The 33-year-old began the rout with the third ball of the home side's innings when he rearranged Will Jefferson's stumps.

Maurice Chambers then trapped Greg Smith lbw, before Masters accounted for Matt Boyce, James Taylor, Wayne White in the same over.

By this time, the shell-shocked visitors never looked like putting up much of a fight as Nathan Buck, Joshua Cobb and Jagir Naik all went in quick succession.

Bopara chipped in with the wicket of Claude Henderson but it was Masters who rounded things off by having Tom New caught behind.

Masters' figures surpassed his previous best of 6-24, which also came against Leicestershire at Chelmsford in 2008 - his first season after departing Grace Road.

His remarkable efforts sentenced the visitors to the seventh lowest first-class total in their 117-year history.

Earlier in the day, Masters had played a significant role with the bat, sharing in a partnership of 111 for the seventh wicket with Bopara, the highest of the match

The deeds of Masters actually overshadowed a magnificent ton from Bopara, who was leading Essex in a Championship game for the first time.