Essex’s bowling duo of Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer wreaked havoc on Nottinghamshire’s batting lineup, skittling them for a mere 93 runs in the first innings of their Vitality County Championship match at Chelmsford. Porter claimed his third five-wicket haul of the season, while Harmer bagged his best bowling figures of the summer with 4 for 16.
Nottinghamshire’s batting woes continued in their second innings, with Harmer claiming the first two wickets. However, captain Haseeb Hameed led a spirited fightback, crafting an unbeaten century (100*) and putting on an unbroken 131-run partnership with Joe Clarke (62*).
The match took a dramatic turn after the ECB confirmed a 12-point deduction for Essex due to an illegally-sized bat used by Feroze Khushi in the reverse fixture. Despite this setback, Essex responded with a dominant performance, ending Nottinghamshire’s hopes of challenging for the title.
Nottinghamshire’s first innings collapse began with Harmer’s first-ball dismissal of Freddie McCann. Porter then joined the party, claiming three wickets in five balls, including the prized scalp of Joe Clarke. Kyle Verreynne’s brief cameo ended when he drove Porter into the covers.
Lyndon James’ dismissal sparked Porter’s three-wicket burst, with Luke Fletcher and Liam Patterson-White also falling lbw. Harmer wrapped up the innings by having Rob Lord caught at bat-pad.
Following on, Hameed and Slater looked comfortable before Slater misjudged a delivery from Harmer. McCann was bamboozled for a second time by Harmer, becoming the sixth player to go lbw during the day.
Hameed played a pivotal role in Nottinghamshire’s improved second innings performance, reaching his half-century from 70 balls. He found a willing partner in Clarke, and the pair steadied the ship with a 131-run partnership. Clarke reached his half-century from 105 balls, while Hameed brought up his century just before stumps.
