Essex ended a poor run of form by beating Worcestershire by 107 runs in the One-Day Cup on Sunday. The hosts made 376 before restricting their visitors to 269 at home. It was Essex's first win from five matches in this competition.
Worcestershire had been in better shape before this fixture. They sat fourth with 20 points from eight games, three ahead of Hampshire. Essex languished seventh with just 12 points and five defeats already.
The visitors came in off three wins from five, including narrow victories over Middlesex and Derbyshire. The hosts had lost four of their last five outings, with defeats to Hampshire, Sussex and Middlesex among them. This time they closed the game out comfortably.
The margin of victory tells the story of a match Essex controlled after taking early advantage. Worcestershire did not have a great deal to do in reply and eventually fell short. The hosts will make life awkward for those above them in the table.
Essex move to 15 points from nine games, still seventh but with momentum on their side. Worcestershire remain fourth on 20 points, three clear of Hampshire and three ahead of Essex. The gap between fourth and seventh is now two matches.