Essex rout Leicestershire

Essex stormed to a two-day LV County Championship victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road as they wrapped up an innings-and-74-run success.

Chris Wright ripped through the home side's batting to record career-best figures of 6-22 as Leicestershire were bowled out for 154 in 45.3 overs.

It would have been an even more humiliating defeat but for an eighth-wicket stand of 87 between Claude Henderson and Nadeem Malik, who came together with Leicestershire at 59 for seven.

Henderson finished with an unbeaten 50 and Malik fell for 41 – but it was all too little, too late from the hapless home side, who had been dismissed for 107 in their first innings on the first day.

Essex wicketkeeper James Foster laid the foundations for his side's crushing win with his second successive unbeaten championship century to steer Essex into a first-innings lead of 228.

That proved more than enough with Leicestershire once again showing little fight as their top-order collapsed leaving Henderson as top-scorer.

James Foster held the Essex innings together with an unbeaten 132 © Getty Images

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It was a hugely disappointing effort from struggling Leicestershire but Essex were always in charge from the moment they had bowled them out so cheaply in the first innings.

Foster continued to turn the screw when Essex resumed on the second day on 144 for four with debutant Jaik Mickleburgh also playing well to make an excellent 60 in a stand of 128.

The teenager reached his half-century with a superb six off Sam Cliff but finally fell lbw to the left-arm spin of Henderson, who at least could claim some personal satisfaction from the game.

He had his best figures of the season with a return of 5-39 off 15 overs as Essex totalled 335 to build up what proved to be a match-winning lead.

But even Henderson was unable to remove the impressive Foster, who once again gave notice to the England selectors that he is a man in form.

He made an unbeaten 132 – his best of the season – off 219 balls and hit 16 boundaries.

Leicestershire's second innings was a shambles with half the side back in the pavilion with only 51 on the board.

Former Leicestershire man David Masters claimed the first two wickets of James Taylor and Paul Nixon before the impressive Wright took over.

His pace and bounce proved too much for the home side until Henderson and Malik swung their bats in a bright and breezy partnership that lasted 17 overs.

But Wright's return to the attack brought a quick end with Malik brilliantly caught at midwicket and Cliff bowled for one.

With Matt Boyce unable to bat because of an injury, that ended the match with Essex collecting 20 points and Leicestershire three.