Date-stamped : 01 Sep97 - 02:08 AXA Life League: Essex left to ponder their deficiencies By Paul Newman at Chelmsford Warwickshire (255-5) bt Essex (108) by 147 runs ON June 29, for one dizzy day, Essex led the County Champi- onship and Sunday League after successive Southend victories over Der- byshire. Since then, however, only the NatWest Trophy has kept their season from falling apart. As Warwickshire yesterday stole a second march over their fel- low Trophy finalists, and remained in contention for their third Sunday title, their hosts were left to ponder the deficien- cies which make them firm underdogs in Saturday`s showpiece. The differences between the teams yesterday were marked. War- wickshire, who still need Kent to falter in one of their last two games if they are to clinch the Sunday title against Gloucestershire, at Edgbaston on Sept 14, batted with lan and had much more depth and pur- pose to their bowling and fielding. Meanwhile, Essex, who have won just one match other than in Tro- phy competition since that heady June day, are left to wonder where it has all gone wrong. Admittedly, they have relied on a mainly young group of play- ers who have collectively gone off the boil as fatigue and in- juries have set in, but even the strength of spirit so evident in their play earlier this year has been threatened by the deci- sion to reprimand the two players who did most to earn them their final appearance. Disciplinary action against Stuart Law and Ronnie Irani, taken for swearing during the explosive semi-final against Glamorgan, was the last thing Essex needed before their attempt to over- come the odds at Lord`s. The fact that the Chelmsford crowd showed no signs of taking offence while giving both standing ovations after their semi-fi- nal in- nings appears irrelevant. Warwickshire have no such worries. Neil Smith, the one-day captain who has now led them to 12 victories in 13 limited- overs games, got them off to a thumping start before clearing the stage for David Hemp, who hit four sixes in his 65-ball unbeat- en 70, one of them forcing drinkers in the pavilion bar to scatter as the ball sped through the open door. Graeme Welch applied the finishing touches to a formidable War- wickshire score when he took 22 off Ashley Cowan`s last over but his side did not need anything like 255 to be safe. The sight of Law, upon whom Essex have become over-dependent, heaving wildly at Welch in the seventh over was the cue for the major- ity of his team-mates to surrender, Keith Piper taking two outstand- ing catches for Warwickshire and Allan Donald proving the pick of the attack with his first five-wicket Sunday haul of the season. Donald`s figures took his tally to 13 Essex wick- ets for just 67 runs during his stay at Chelmsford. And he is supposed to have an ankle in- jury. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)