SIMON Harmer claimed his seventh County Championship 10-wicket haul as Essex returned to winning ways by cruising to an innings and 15 run victory over Derbyshire.
Harmer, who bowled unchanged from the River End on day four, took three for 122 in the second innings after a career-best nine for 80, for match analysis of 12 for 202.
Ryan ten Doeschate claimed six catches in the match, all at short-leg – the 14th occasion an Essex player has managed the feat and first since Alastair Cook versus Durham in 2004.
The win handed Essex the maximum 24 points to recharge their Division One ambition after three games without a success, while Derbyshire only secured a solitary point.
Brooke Guest, who completed his maiden first-class half-century the previous evening, and Billy Godleman continued to frustrate Essex as their partnership hit 212 balls, and 97 runs.
But a change of ball, after Guest had swept into the brick wall in front of the pavilion, brought about an immediate change. Porter angled in to Godleman to rap the former Essex man on the pads. Four overs later Guest made a rare mistake on 65, as he offered no shot to Sam Cook and was also given lbw. Wayne Madsen then tickled onto his thigh pad before Ryan ten Doeschate swooped at short-leg to give Harmer his first of the innings, having been wicketless for 29.5 overs.
In the following over, Shane Snater drew an edge out of Leus du Plooy with Alastair Cook holding on at first slip. Harvey Hosein and Matt Critchley chewed up another 15 overs before Harmer and ten Doeschate teamed up for the sixth time in the match.
Hosein was the victim of some panther-like reactions after a thick inside edge before Fynn Hudson-Prentice went back and looped to the Netherlands international off his leg. Matt Critchley was the next to depart when Jamie Porter struck with the second new ball as he edged to Alastair Cook. Sam Cook completed the emphatic victory when Billy Stanlake chipped to mid-on before Alex Hughes sliced to point. Essex have now beaten Derbyshire by an innings in four of their last five meetings, with this win coming despite a washed-out opening day and 147 overs lost in the match.
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