Jamie Porter offers Essex the sting in title-challenge dogfight

Essex 145 for five lead Hampshire 120 (Porter 5-37, Harmer 3-26) by 25 runs

Fast bowler Porter took 5 for 37 on a bowler-friendly Ageas Bowl pitch, with Simon Harmer helping with three for 26.

Essex replied by reaching 145 for six earlier than shut, to take a 25-run lead into day two, with two wickets apiece for Kyle Abbott and John Turner stored the guests in test.

Essex gained the toss and Tom Westley gleefully put his hosts into bat first on a pitch on which appeared to have been ready to advertise a optimistic outcome.

That final result is required for either side, positioned second and third coming into this spherical of fixtures, of their quests to chase down runaway leaders Surrey – who led Essex and Hampshire by 14 and 29 factors with 4 matches to go.

Hampshire are 50 years with out a Championship title and is the one trophy Rod Bransgrove hasn’t gained in his 23 years as chairman – this shall be his final probability after asserting his choice to step down on the finish of the season earlier than play.

Hampshire openers Ian Holland and Fletcha Middleton had been each snared out by Porter earlier than seven overs had been accomplished.

But Essex’s early pleasure was tainted by Shane Snater – who had changed the ailing Doug Bracewell – limping off after 5 balls, having pulled out of a supply simply earlier than reaching his stride.

The lack of a essential bowler mattered little as Paul Walter stepped up and angled throughout James Vince, and with Hampshire ultimately bowled out inside 39 overs it meant fewer miles within the legs.

Ben Brown was properly caught at first slip by Simon Harmer, Nick Gubbins was free on the drive off Porter and Liam Dawson top-edged a sweep to high quality leg to depart Hampshire 79 for six at lunch.

Porter is again to his harmful finest this season after a sequence of lean seasons, by his excessive requirements.

Having put himself on the England radar with Championship wicket tallies of at the very least 48 between 2015 and 2019, Porter claimed 34 scalps in 2021 and solely 19 wickets final season, with Sam Cook rising to guide the assault.

His 5 on the Ageas Bowl took him to 42 wickets for the season – solely spinning team-mate Harmer and Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton have extra.

Porter was rewarded for his potent accuracy along with his second five-for of the season by spearing into Felix Organ’s again pad, earlier than James Fuller superior and slapped the following ball he bowled to deep cowl.

Harmer wrapped up the tail with Turner edging to slide and Mohammad Abbas slogged to lengthy on as Hampshire had been bowled out for 120.

In reply, Nick Browne was bowled by Abbas within the fifth over. because the pitch remained unmoved in its bowling friendliness.

Abbott picked up Alastair Cook and Paul Walter in a double wicket maiden to see Essex to 16 for 3 and in peril of copying Hampshire’s low rating.

But Essex did one thing Hampshire could not do; type partnerships.

Only Gubbins and Vince’s 39-run stand had topped 20, whereas Tom Westley and Matt Critchley added 41 earlier than Critchley and Michael Pepper scored 36 collectively earlier than Pepper and Adam Rossington joined forces for 25.

Vince, who managed to barter his strategy to three alternative balls, solely referred to as on Vitality Blast hero Turner within the thirty fourth over.

The wait had Turner raring to go as he bounded in to crash into Critchley’s pads first ball earlier than later discovering Pepper’s exterior edge.

Essex edged right into a first-innings lead with Rossington and Harmer reaching the top of the day with a platform to safe an necessary first-innings lead.