ESSEX wasted little time picking up the six Northamptonshire wickets they needed on the final day to secure their second County Championship win of the season by an innings and 92 runs.

With Northamptonshire four down by lunch, Ryan ten Doeschate, who claimed figures of 4-31, and Graham Napier returned to wrap up the victory within 17 balls after the break. The win gave Essex 23 points, while Northamptonshire headed home with just one.

Facing a race against the forecast rain, Essex got their day off to a flying start, as Jamie Porter picked up his eighth wicket of the match, and 22nd of the season, making a delivery rear at Richard Levi, who fended to point where Dan Lawrence took a fine catch in the third over of the day.

This brought Adam Rossington, who made an unbeaten 67 and was Northants' main source of resistance on the third day, to the crease. In the company of night watchman Azharullah, Rossington dug in once more, sharing 21 in 17 overs until ten Doeschate, the fifth bowler used by Essex, pinned him LBW playing back.

At the other end, Azharullah had lived a rather charmed life, edging just short of Alastair Cook at first slip in the first over of the day with another falling just short of fourth slip. Between times, when Azharullah was on 6, James Foster shelled a tough chance diving one-handed to his right off the same bowler.

David Murphy came and went, playing a beautiful straight drive, then almost being caught and bowled, and slapping straight to mid-on, all in a single ten Doeschate over. With the last ball of his next over, the Essex captain ended Azharullah's resistance as he was adjudged LBW.

With Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Gleeson defending stoically, as well as peppering the third man boundary, Essex extended the session by 15 minutes in pursuit of the final two wickets. After 12 of those minutes, and a couple more loud LBW appeals, the players left the field as a passing shower struck.

The win, which was set up by half-centuries for each of Essex's top five across the rain-ravaged first two days, was secured almost immediately after the break.

Gleeson miscues ten Doeschate straight to fine-leg 14 balls after lunch, and while Kleinveldt hammered him down the ground for four next ball, Napier returned to finish the job, castling Ben Sanderson with a perfect yorker second ball to secure Essex's place atop the Division Two going into the fourth round of matches, when they head to New Road to face Worcestershire.