County Championship: Simon Harmer takes 5-65 as Bears follow on against Essex

Essex legend Simon Harmer claimed the 54th five-wicket haul of his prolific career

Warwickshire capitulated in the face of Simon Harmer's off-spin to face the prospect of a demoralising defeat against Essex at Chelmsford.

Harmer notched his 32nd five-wicket haul in seven summers at Essex as the Bears were forced to follow on 299 in arrears.

Having already taken 5-65, Harmer then added another wicket in the 24 overs of Warwickshire's second innings in the early evening sunshine, taking his season's tally to 32 as the visitors close on 74-1, still 225 behind.

The South African spinner bowled 33 overs from the River End during the day broken only by three interval breaks, backed up by seamer Jamie Porter, who took three front-line wickets as Warwickshire were dismissed for 158.

As expected, Essex were forced to reshuffle their line-up overnight after Dan Lawrence, who had tops-scored with 152 of their first-innings 457, was summoned to Lord's in preparation for Wednesday's second Ashes Test. But Nick Browne had already been named as the nominated replacement.

After Essex added a further 66 runs to their overnight 3917, , the Bears lost two wickets inside the first 24 deliveries when Rob Yates was taken low down at second slip by Harmer diving forward to give Porter his first, and Alex Davies followed when he withdrew his bat to one that swung in from Sam Cook.

Jacob Bethell joined skipper Will Rhodes in a rearguard third-wicket stand of 67 runs in 21 overs that stemmed the tide.

But 19-year-old left-hander Bethell stepped back to give himself room to cut Harmer and only managed to edge to wicketkeeper Will Buttleman., who took two further catches in the space of four balls from Porter.

The collapse continued three balls after Michael Burgess had lofted Harmer for six over long leg.

Burgess thrust forward his front leg rather extravagantly but was deceived by the equally extravagant turn and was bowled.

On-loan Dom Bess was similarly undone by Harmer, turning the ball into leg slip's lap, then Harmer's fourth wicket came with the last ball before tea when Hasan Ali popped up a catch to Browne at bat-pad.

Doug Bracewell induced an edge from Jake Lintott's bat to give Buttleman a fourth catch before Harmer had Chris Rushworth chipped to mid-on to complete the innings, leaving all-rounder Ed Barnard unbeaten on 23 from 47 balls.

Kookaburra ball or not, Essex threw it to Harmer at the start of Warwickshire's second innings and he continued where he left off when 11 balls into his spell, he had Davies caught by Browne high above his helmeted head.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters Network