Jamie Porter claims six second-innings wickets as Essex see off Worcestershire

Independent

21-04-2025

Jamie Porter took six wickets in the second innings as Essex earned their first win of the season with a 28-run victory over Worcestershire in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.
The pace bowler struck early on the morning of day four, bowling Matthew Waite and soon dismissed Tom Taylor before Kasun Rajitha claimed the scalp of Ben Allison for a duck.
Ethan Brookes offered some fightback for Worcestershire, scoring 88 before being caught and bowled by Porter, who finished with match figures of eight for 101.
Essex recorded the only top-flight win on Monday as the remainder of the games ended in draws and they sit third in the table.
Surrey are seventh after picking up their third draw of the campaign against Sussex.
Ollie Robinson struck early to dismiss Dan Lawrence for 117 and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes made 60 before James Coles claimed five wickets for 108 runs as Surrey finished their first innings on 490 all out.
Tom Haines and Daniel Hughes then scored an unbeaten 69 and 49, respectively, as Sussex closed on 132 without loss.
Hampshire's rain-affected meeting with Somerset also ended with players shaking hands as Sean Dickson finished unbeaten on 77 and Tom Abell also scored 27 not out.
Yorkshire skipper Jonny Bairstow finished with an unbeaten 86 as his side's clash with Durham ended in a draw, with rain bringing an early end to the match.
Bairstow's unbeaten knock alongside Matthew Revis' 40 saw Yorkshire close on 277 for six, with Durham bowlers Ben Raine, Matthew Potts and Colin Ackermann all taking two wickets each.
Rain also affected Warwickshire's draw with Nottingham, where a stubborn display saw Ed Barnard finish with a top score of 40 not out from 149 balls and Oliver Hannon-Dalby added seven runs from 62 deliveries to close on 181 for six.
In Division Two, Middlesex earned a nine-wicket win against Glamorgan.
Kiran Carlson was dismissed early in the session by Toby Roland-Jones – who finished with three wickets – before Chris Cooke added 69 from 151 balls.
The wicketkeeper's knock was brought to an end by Henry Brookes and Ned Leonard's cameo of 47 saw Glamorgan finish on 329 all out and Middlesex easily chased down their target of 59 runs to win their first County Championship game of the season.
Leicestershire remain top of the Division Two standings after three games, despite drawing with Lancashire.
A rain-affected day four saw Lancashire build on their overnight score of 16 for three, closing on 90 for three with Josh Bohannon and Marcus Harris scoring 45 and 34, respectively.
Kent stay second in the standings after their clash with Gloucestershire ended in a draw.
Miles Hammond claimed 89 off 136 balls, while Oliver Price and Graeme van Buuren scored half-centuries before Gloucestershire declared on 333 for five.
England opener Zak Crawley made an unbeaten 54, but Tawanda Muyeye was Kent's next highest scorer as a brilliant display from Tom Price saw the all-rounder take four wickets for 33 runs to reduce the hosts to 124 for six at close.
Rain prevented any play taking place on day four as Derbyshire and Northamptonshire's clash finished in a draw.