Kaneria cleans up

Danish Kaneria weaved his magic to give Essex firm control of their absorbing LV County Championship battle against Gloucestershire at Chelmsford.

The Pakistan leg-spinner picked up three wickets for 13 in 11 overs as the visitors, who had trailed by just four runs on first innings, struggled to 70 for six by the close in their second.

Kaneria removed Will Porterfield, Alex Gidman and Chris Taylor and was unfortunate not to reap a bigger harvest, so often did he beat the bat.

And with off-spinner James Middlebrook getting rid of Marcus North and Vikram Banerjee just before the close to add to David Masters' removal of Hamish Marshall, Essex established themselves as firm favourites to go on and record their fourth championship win of the campaign.

Gloucestershire's woes were further compounded by Kadeer Ali being struck a painful blow on the wrist by Graham Napier that required a hospital visit, although he later returned to resume his innings.

The rapid decline of the Gloucestershire innings must have come as a bitter blow to fast bowler Steve Kirby, who earlier spearheaded a fine fightback by his side after Essex had resumed on 66 without loss in reply to a 275 total.

Kirby combined pace with hostility to return 5-60, his best figures of the summer.

Gloucestershire had no answer to Danish Kaneria

In one devastating 15-ball spell, his ability to get the ball to rise sharply off a length helped him get rid of Ravi Bopara and Mark Pettini for ducks, after having Jason Gallian caught behind for 48.

He embarked upon that course of destruction after Essex had reached 102 for the loss of only one wicket, that of Varun Chopra who was bowled by medium-pacer Mark Hardinges for 47, and it pointed the way to a dramatic collapse.

With left-arm spinner Banerjee nipping in to remove Neil Dexter and Ryan ten Doeschate, the latter bowled while shouldering arms, Essex suddenly found themselves 109 for six.

But after five wickets had gone down in the space of seven overs, James Foster and Middlebrook were to launch a revival.

Middlebrook played the leading role in a partnership of 69 in 23 overs. He scored 41 of them with the help of two successive sixes off North, before the same bowler trapped him leg before.

Foster was to find another useful partner in Napier, who helped him add 49 in nine overs. Napier's share was 27, an effort that included three fours and a six, before he was caught behind off Jon Lewis.

Shortly afterwards Foster's battling innings came to an end when he swung Kirby to deep square leg. His 57 contained seven fours and spanned 116 deliveries.

Although the visitors were no doubt glad to see the back of Foster, they were to suffer more frustration as Masters and Kaneria added 38 to earn their side a second batting point and a slender first-innings lead.

It needed a fine slip catch by North to see the end of Masters for 21, a dismissal that left Kaneria on 17.

In the context of the game it was a valuable knock but as the day progressed, Kaneria's most telling contribution arrived with the ball.