Harmer shines as Essex beat Notts by an innings
Simon Harmer got through 40 overs in Nottinghamshire's second innings
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (day four)
Essex 457: Westley 122, Pepper 115
Nottinghamshire 93: Porter 5-35, Harmer 4-16 & 281: Hameed 105; Harmer 4-93
Essex (23 pts) beat Notts (2 pts) by an innings and 83 runs
Simon Harmer claimed his second four-wicket haul of the match as Essex wrapped up a County Championship innings victory over Nottinghamshire before lunch on the final day.
The South African off-spinner finished with 4-93 as Nottinghamshire’s batting collapsed again in double-quick time to lose by an innings and 83 runs.
The relegation-threatened visitors folded from their overnight 180-2, still needing 184 to make Essex bat again, losing their remaining eight wickets in 38 overs while adding 101 runs in an extended morning session. They had conceded a 364-run deficit on first innings when bowled out for just 93.
Harmer was ably supported by Sam Cook and Paul Walter, who took two apiece to condemn Nottinghamshire to their fourth defeat of the Division One season.
Needing eight wickets for a first win in five games, Essex made early inroads. Cook sent back the two overnight batsmen, Haseeb Hamed and Joe Clarke, inside the first 20 minutes to end their 136-run third-wicket stand.
Hameed was lbw after advancing his score by five to 105 from 166 balls and Clarke chased a delivery outside off stump for Harmer to take the slip catch high to his right.
Jack Haynes and Kyle Verreynne scored at two an over for a dozen overs before Walter struck twice in three balls.
Haynes departed for eight from 48 balls via a leading edge back to the bowler and Lyndon James fell to a spectacular flying catch at cover by Shane Snater.
The new ball accounted for Liam Patterson-White, slashing the third delivery from Jamie Porter to keeper Michael Pepper.
Harmer returned and with his fourth delivery had Rob Lord lobbing the ball into bat-pad’s hands. Two balls later Luke Fletcher fell for a three-ball pair when he was bowled.
With one wicket standing, Essex claimed the extra half-hour and though Verreynne made an obdurate 38 not out, 16-year-old Farhan Ahmed eventually nicked behind Snater’s second ball of the seventh extra over.
Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.