GRAHAM Napier spearheaded Essex to their expected victory by a margin of an innings and 92 runs against Worcestershire but it was not enough to win promotion to the LV= County Championship Division One.

They were denied by Hampshire, whose victory against Glamorgan also saw them pip Worcestershire to the Second Division title.

Essex finished eight points adrift of second spot after they had bowled out Worcestershire for 255.

Essex skipper James Foster said: “Obviously it’s so disappointing to just miss out on promotion especially after the scintillating manner in which we have finished the season.

“But we are already planning for next season and it’s great that we already have our overseas player in place with Jesse Ryder having signed a two-year deal with us.

“This squad is getting better all the time and I’m looking forward to leading our bid for promotion next summer.”

Napier, with his best figures of the season, led Essex to their sixth Championship victory from their last seven matches and left them ruing a poor start to the summer when they claimed just one victory from their first nine matches in the competition.

Injury problems ruled out Napier for more than half of those early games but the medium-pace man has been a key figure in the county’s revival in the second half of the season. Napier took five for 54, all his victims coming in a 26-ball spell costing 11 runs.

The last of those was Moeen Ali who was within two runs of a century when he mistimed a pull to Greg Smith at short mid-wicket after hitting 11 fours and two sixes.

Ali’s removal came during an over in which Ben Cox was caught behind for 13 and Joe Leach was trapped leg before for a first ball duck. Earlier Napier, making the ball swing and lift, had lbw appeals against Alexei Kervezee and Tom Kohler-Cadmore upheld before they had got off the mark.

The only partnership of note after Worcestershire had started the day on 113 for two featured Brett D’Oliveira and Jack Shantry.

They put on 91 in 19 overs for the ninth wicket before Shantry, who never looked at ease, and scored many of his runs with fortuitous edges, that eluded grasping fielders was bowled in Ravi Bopara’s only over for 38.

The more assured D’Oliveira followed immediately afterwards, bowled by Jamie Porter for 44 that contained five fours and a six and spanned 57 deliveries.

Worcestershire’s Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes said: “We’ve achieved the aim we wanted at the start of the season and that was to get back into the First Division.

“Now all the focus is on planning for next year but for our young players, it’s been a real hard season of learning but they will be better for the experience.”