It has been something of a torrid time for Essex’s batsmen in recent weeks on seaming, green Chelmsford tracks; the policy of preparing result-wickets is yet to pay off for them and they came into this match propping up the County Championship Division Two table and all but doing likewise in the Natwest T20 Blast south group.
This was a good toss to win away from home and the aim of the day was to bat, and bat long, exploiting good conditions. That plan did not come to fruition and it was an unlikely hero, Rob Keogh, who finished with career best figures of three for 35 to ensure Northamptonshire finished the day very much on top, with Essex losing their last six wickets for just 39 runs in 63 balls.
Their first four wickets had fallen for 147, 58 of which were scored by the left-handed opener Nick Browne who had looked fluent before being drawn into a shot and edging behind off Rory Kleinveldt. But as the pitch got even flatter and the ball got older, things started to get away from Northants. There was a 90-run partnership between Ryan ten Doeschate and Jesse Ryder which was only broken when the New Zealand all-rounder got a leading edge off Steven Crook which looped up to a diving Stephen Peters in the covers.
It was an impressively responsible innings from Ryder who combined patience, delicate glances and lusty blows to pass 7,000 first-class runs in the process; he was visibly annoyed with himself with a big century on offer on a docile pitch.
In the run-up to the 80th over, awaiting the new ball, Keogh, who is very much a batsman who bowls a bit of off-spin, completely changed the complexion of the day with a superb spell. Ten Doeschate was tempted into a big drive by a flighted ball and edged behind for 32. Continuing to have the confidence to vary his pace and flight, Keogh found some prodigious turn and an inside edge on to the stumps to remove Graham Napier for five, leaving Essex 265 for seven. In his next over he removed the stumps to dismiss Adeel Malik without scoring and Essex were 271 for eight. Kleinveldt wrapped up the final two wickets to leave the visitors all out for 276, having been 237 for five.
