Mark Ilott put the smile back on Essex supporters faces by claiming two wickets in three deliveries to rock Warwickshire towards the end of Thursday's Championship action at Chelmsford.

For most of the day, the county had been on the back foot as they made painstaking progress against a visiting attack which gave very little away.

Essex batsmen performed with plenty of determination but failed to gather a bonus point while being bowled out for 191 in the 106th over.

This left Warwickshire with a first innings advantage of 80 and they were left feeling grateful for such a lead when they went in with five overs of the day remaining.

Ilott lifted the county's spirits in his second over. His fourth delivery saw off his former colleague Nick Knight as the England opener pushed forward and edged to Darren Robinson in the slips, and the sixth trapped nightwatchman Tim Munton lbw.

Warwickshire finished on 14 for 2 and while they could still claim to be better placed for victory, Essex were not without hope.

In addition to his late successes with the ball, Ilott turned in a gritty performance with the bat after coming in as nightwatchman.

He resisted for nearly two and a half hours while making 30 to emerge as the county's second highest scorer. Only Stuart Law with 33 scored more.

On a pitch which neither encouraged stroke players, nor possessed the sort of pace to have bowlers queuing up, the cricket could not be described as enthralling.

At times it was downright boring as batsmen struggled to get the ball off the square, but no one could accuse them of giving their wickets away.

Ronnie Irani spent 90 balls gathering just 12 runs, Paul Grayson managed only 14 scoring strokes in his 29 made from 121 deliveries, and Barry Hyam needed 81 balls to reach 26.

Even Law took 83 deliveries to score his runs, the Australian finally departing when his off stump was knocked out of the ground by Munton.

Ashley Giles was largely responsible for the county's snail-like progress conceding only 45 runs in 32 overs but without the reward of a wicket. Paceman Ed Giddins claimed four for 42.

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