Friday 11 September 2015 19:57, UK
Essex completed a comprehensive innings victory over Derbyshire to boost Chris Silverwood's chances of landing the permanent job as head coach.
Essex were always likely to wrap up victory inside three days given the injuries to Tony Palladino and Shiv Thakor which prevented them batting and they sealed a maximum points haul 10 minutes before lunch.
Ryan ten Doeschate was the catalyst, taking three wickets for one run in nine balls, as Derbyshire subsided tamely to 182-8 after skipper Wayne Madsen and nightwatchman Ben Cotton had kept Essex waiting 47 minutes for a breakthrough.
But once Ravi Bopara had Cotton pouched at first slip, the end came swiftly leaving Silverwood to reflect on an impressive three days' work following victory by an innings and 188 runs.
"It was a fantastic team performance," said the acting head coach.
"We are getting first-innings runs and the bowling attack stuck at it. We did exactly what we said we were going to do and we got the rewards.
"I will be putting my hat in the ring and see what comes but first and foremost for me was to see us through the last games and do the best we can. We said next season starts now and we want to set the bar high."
Kent's hopes of making further inroads into Glamorgan's second innings and clinching their fourth win of the season were held up by bad light in Cardiff.
The visitors had set the hosts the mammoth task of scoring 554 to win, and they were 101-2 at tea - with 32 overs still scheduled - before the weather closed in at Sophia Gardens to leave opener James Kettleborough (52no) and Colin Ingram (42no) in the hut.
Earlier, Glamorgan opener Jeremy Lawlor recorded a pair on his championship debut when he was bowled by Matt Coles, who then dismissed David Lloyd three overs later - the Kent seamer taking his season's haul to 65 wickets.
Kent had resumed on their overnight score of 256-1 with Robert Key and Joe Denly scoring quickly against a tiring attack.
Key reached 158 - the 54th hundred of his career - before he was caught on the square-leg boundary by Graham Wagg off the bowling of Kettleborough.
But a 222-run stand between Key and Joe Denly rammed home Kent's advantage - Denly remaining undefeated on 167 having shared the third three-figure partnership of the innings (114) with Sam Northeast, who made an unbeaten 50 before the declaration came at 451-2.
