Cricket

Essex's bowlers dominated the opening day of their Vitality County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, bowling the hosts out for a paltry 78 and taking a commanding lead of 111.Shane Snater led the Essex attack with a devastating spell of 5 for 13, while Jamie Porter and Sam Cook also chipped in with three wickets apiece. Warwickshire's only resistance came from Will Rhodes, who scored 29 in his final home appearance before joining Durham.In reply, Essex stumbled to 50 for 5 but recovered to close on 189 for 9 thanks to contributions from Michael Pepper (37), Snater (33 not out), Matt Critchley (32), and Simon Harmer (31). Ed Barnard and Craig Miles took three wickets each for Warwickshire, but Essex's lead looks decisive.Essex's victory would be their second emphatic win in a row, while Warwickshire's supporters are left to digest a disappointing end to a lackluster home championship campaign.Porter and Olly Hannon-Dalby started the day as the country's joint leading wicket-takers on 46, and Porter quickly moved to 48 by removing Warwickshire's openers. Sam Hain was also trapped lbw by Cook, leaving Warwickshire reeling at 18 for 3.Hamza Shaikh showed some resistance with a 37-ball eight, but Snater struck twice in quick succession to remove him and Barnard. Rhodes provided some hope with a gritty 29, but he eventually edged a delivery from Snater to Pepper.The last ball of the morning saw Cook knock out Michael Burgess's middle stump, and the innings imploded after lunch, with Snater wrapping it up with an lbw decision against Hannon-Dalby.Essex's reply began poorly, with Robin Das and Tom Westley falling cheaply. Barnard then struck twice in three balls to leave Essex at 50 for 5. However, the lower order batted patiently, with Critchley and Pepper adding 55 in 18 overs.Critchley and Pepper eventually fell, but Harmer and Snater added a valuable 39. Miles removed Harmer and Cook in quick succession, but Snater's cameo, including three successive fours off Miles, lifted Essex's lead over 100.

Michael Pepper's maiden first-class century propelled Essex to a commanding position in their Vitality County Championship clash against Worcestershire. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman's unbeaten 112, coupled with Shane Snater's 53, helped Essex amass 404 in their first innings, establishing a 138-run lead.Worcestershire's bowlers had initially put Essex under pressure, with Ethan Brookes claiming three wickets to reduce them to 126 for 7. However, Pepper and Snater's 136-run partnership turned the tide, overhauling Worcestershire's 266 and laying the foundation for Essex's dominance.Tom Westley had earlier set the tone for Essex with a solid 68, while Amar Virdi and Logan van Beek shared six wickets between them. Worcestershire's reply began promisingly, with Brett D'Oliveira and Tom Taylor guiding them to 2 for 0 at the close of play.Pepper's century was a testament to his versatility, showcasing both his orthodox strokeplay and audacious shots. He reached three figures from 116 balls, celebrating with a six over midwicket. Snater also impressed, scoring a brisk 53 before falling to van Beek.Essex's bowlers will be keen to maintain their momentum in Worcestershire's second innings, while the home side will need a strong batting performance to stay in contention. The match is poised for an exciting conclusion, with Essex seeking to end their winless streak and Worcestershire determined to salvage a positive result.

Essex emerged victorious in a one-sided Metro Bank One Day Cup encounter at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, defeating Gloucestershire by 63 runs. Shane Snater's incisive bowling played a pivotal role in Essex's triumph.Chasing a target of 263, Gloucestershire's top order crumbled under Snater's devastating new-ball burst. The seamer claimed three wickets in 13 deliveries, reducing the hosts to 28 for 3. Five top or middle-order batsmen fell in single figures, with Snater finishing with figures of 3 for 39 and Jamal Richards contributing 2 for 33.Ajeet Singh Dale provided a glimmer of hope for Gloucestershire with a defiant 25-ball half-century, but his efforts were in vain as the home side was dismissed for 199 in 36.2 overs. Tom Smith also contributed 29 not out, but their late resistance came too late to salvage the match.Earlier, Essex had posted a competitive 262 for 8, thanks to half-centuries from Luc Benkenstein and Robin Das. The duo shared an 88-run partnership to rescue Essex from a precarious 86 for 4. Das scored 52 from 71 deliveries, while Benkenstein raised a career-best 67 from 62 balls.Gloucestershire seamer Dominic Goodman impressed with figures of 4 for 43, his best in List-A cricket. Singh Dale also claimed 2 for 50, while Smith took 2 for 51.Essex's victory was their first in the 50-over competition, while Gloucestershire suffered their second defeat in four days. The hosts now face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages, while Essex will look to build on their momentum in upcoming matches against Leicestershire and Glamorgan.

Essex's Shane Snater rediscovered his bowling prowess, leading a devastating attack that decimated Lancashire's batting lineup on a rain-affected day at Chelmsford. Snater, who struggled last season, claimed four wickets for 42 runs, including the top three batsmen. Sam Cook provided excellent support with three wickets for 18 runs.Lancashire, asked to bat on a green wicket, collapsed to 146 all out. Keaton Jennings was caught in the gully, while Luke Wells was trapped lbw. Josh Bohannon and George Balderson also fell to Snater's bowling. Cook dismissed Matty Hurst and Tom Bruce, while Noah Thain claimed a wicket on debut.Despite the early setbacks, Jack Blatherwick and Will Williams provided some resistance with a 50-run partnership. However, Blatherwick was caught on the long-leg boundary, and Nathan Lyon was dismissed by Cook. Williams remained unbeaten on 32.In response, Essex openers Feroze Khushi and Nick Browne put on 68 runs for the first wicket before Khushi was caught in the slips for 53. Browne remained unbeaten on 15.The match was interrupted by rain on several occasions, reducing the day's play to just 45 minutes before lunch and two truncated sessions in the afternoon.