Walker sees Essex home

Matt Walker calmed Essex nerves and led them to a seven-wicket victory over Gloucestershire on the third day of the LV= County Championship Division Two match at Bristol.

Gloucestershire could add only four runs to their overnight total of 115 for nine, setting the visitors just 98 to win.

Wicketkeeper James Foster claimed his ninth victim of the match to equal an Essex record but then watched as his side slipped to six for two and 46 for three before Walker (48 not out) and skipper Mark Pettini (28 not out) saw them to their target in the second over after lunch.

Essex therefore took 17 points from their first success of the season while Gloucestershire, who failed to win a four-day game in finishing bottom of Division Two last summer, had to be content with three.

Essex wicketkeeper James Foster ended the game with nine victims, all of which were caught, equalling a club record

Only 13 balls were needed to wrap up the Gloucestershire innings at the start of play. Vikram Banerjee had added only a single to his overnight score when edging Ryan ten Doeschate to the reliable Foster.

All the wicketkeeper’s victims in the match were caught. His contribution equalled that of K.L.Gibson (seven catches and two stumpings against Derbyshire at Leyton in 1911) and David East (nine catches against Sussex at Hove in 1983).

Banerjee’s wicket gave ten Doeschate 3-35 from 11.1 overs and match figures of 8-97.

In a low-scoring game Essex still needed to bat well and they made an alarming start. Varun Chopra was caught by Craig Spearman at first slip off Steve Kirby in the second over with only a single on the board.

Worse was to follow when Jaik Mickleburgh was pinned lbw by Jon Lewis for a duck. That brought in Walker who, together with Jason Gallian, set about steadying the ship.

Gallian had made 11 when he provided Spearman with another slip catch off Ian Saxelby. It was 46 for three in the 15th over and Gloucestershire still had a slim chance.

It was soon snuffed out by Walker and Pettini, although both needed moments of good fortune, playing and missing on several occasions as Gloucestershire’s seamers made a fight of it.

Both batsmen also produced some fine shots and when lunch was taken Essex were 93 for three, just five runs from achieving their target.