Napier strikes give Essex edge

Two late wickets gave Essex reason for cheer in their first Championship match since being bowled out for 20 by Lancashire a week ago. Shiv Thakor was run out for 54 and Jigar Naik caught and bowled by Graham Napier for a duck leaving the hosts on 268 for 7 at the close.

Napier was the pick of Essex's bowling attack and finished with 4 for 78 in 25 hostile overs as bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire once again failed to produce the goods in their first innings, despite half-centuries from Thakor and Niall O'Brien.

They had managed only 10 batting bonus points in their previous eight games - the lowest total by any side in the division. But at 253 for 5 they appeared set to at least reach the 300 mark and pick up three points.

Then Thakor and Michael Thornely decided to go for a quick single four overs before the close, with the former run out by Jaik Mickleburgh's throw from cover to end a stand of 64 for the sixth wicket. In the next over Naik, trying to pull a short ball from Napier, top edged a simple return catch to the bowler.

After their all-time low score in the previous game, Essex must have been relieved not to have been put into bat when Leicestershire won the toss. There was plenty of cloud cover to encourage the bowlers and all the Essex seamers troubled the batsmen, even though O'Brien and Greg Smith shared an opening partnership of 58. They both rode their luck at times but also produced some excellent attacking shots when given the opportunity.

O'Brien hit Napier for three successive fours but Smith was trapped lbw by Ryan ten Doeschate for 27. Ned Eckersley looked in good touch until edging behind off David Masters to depart for 21 before O'Brien, having reached 50 off 143 balls with 10 fours, became Napier's first victim, given lbw playing across the line for 67 - his Championship best for Leicestershire.

Joe Burns was next to go for 26 after he was caught at slip off Napier and Matt Boyce was out lbw to the same bowler, leaving Leicestershire rocking on 189 for 5. But Thakor, who reached his half century off 108 balls with nine fours, and Thornely steadied things until the late collapse. Thornely was still there at the close on 37.