Essex forced to settle for draw against Northamptonshire

Essex recorded their highest second innings score in 13 years but it was not enough to prevent their Division Two match with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road ending in a draw on day four.

Ryan ten Doeschate's unbeaten 76 guided the visitors to 505-9 declared, while Rory Kleinveldt closed with figures of 5-138.

That left Northamptonshire a target of 339 in 42 overs for victory but the hosts only made it to 115-3 before the teams shook hands on the draw with nine overs remaining.

Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder moved their partnership on to 258 before Westley (179) became Kleinveldt’s fourth victim.

Former New Zealand international Ryder went for 124 with the score on 385-5 to secure his first century of the season, having resumed on 90.

With the lead at 217 Northants might have looked at dismissing the hosts before lunch but ten Doeschate was dropped by Stephen Peters at first slip.

That proved costly as ten Doeschate and skipper James Foster shared a stand of 82 which ensured there would be no afternoon run chase, the former reaching a third consecutive second innings half-century in as many Championship appearances this season.

Steven Crook returned to have Foster caught behind for 35, with Graham Napier only making a single before falling in the same manner, and Adeel Malik was trapped lbw by Rob Keogh in the following over.

Kleinveldt duly completed his second five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire as David Masters fended a short delivery to gully without troubling the scorers.

Ten Doeschate then lofted Keogh for six to take Essex past 500, as the visitors recorded their highest second innings score since the 514-4 declared against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in 2002, shortly before the declaration.

With Peters unable to open the batting following his earlier dropped catch, captain Alex Wakely opened with Rob Newton and the hosts survived a minor wobble to bat out the remainder of the game.

Wakely (13) drove Reece Topley straight to cover before Keogh lasted just four balls, making three before edging Napier to Nick Browne at first slip.

Ravi Bopara trapped Newton leg before for 33 but Richard Levi's 53 not out, following his first innings knock of 168, saw the hosts safely through to the close alongside Josh Cobb.