By D J Rutnagur at Chelmsford
First day of four: Northants (57-1) trail Essex (283) by 226 runs
STUART LAW and Franklyn Rose, whose futures with their respective counties hang in the balance, were two of the three central figures in the opening skirmish of the battle to avoid the wooden spoon. The third was the teen-aged off-spinner Graeme Swann.
Without Law's 165, scored off 254 balls and spanning almost five hours, Essex, who were put in on a greenish pitch, would have suffered a collapse as abject as any they have experienced during an excrutiatingly poor season and been left with no chance of lifting themselves off the bottom of the table.
Making his entry in the fifth over at 12 for two, Law, who held complete sway over the bowlers, was last out after masterly hitting 21 fours and a six. His only durable ally was Paul Grayson, who contributed 46 to a fourth-wicket stand of 114, although Jamie Grove was staunch while 53 were added for the ninth wicket.
Essex would perhaps have had a sounder base had Stephen Peters, who had batted comfortably for 13 overs, not been struck just below the eye by a ball from Rose which bounced high from only just short of a length. Suffering a fractured cheekbone, Peters retired, but returned at the fall of the seventh wicket, only to fall a quick victim to the younger Swann who, harnessing the bounce in the pitch, took four of the last five wickets.
Day 2: Taylor spoils Essex chances
By D J Rutnagur at Chelmsford
Second day of four: Essex (283 & 50-5) lead Northants by 71 runs
PAUL TAYLOR, with a robust innings of 58 at No 8, toppled Essex from a position of considerable strength at lunch and then, taking four wickets for two runs in a span of 14 balls, almost certainly sealed off their last escape route from the cellar.
Essex's plight is worse than the scorecard indicates, for Stephen Peters, who suffered a fractured cheekbone on Thursday, is unlikely to bat. They were spared further torment from Taylor by a sudden dimming of the light which forced Kevin Curran to take him off. But this did not halt Northamptonshire's advance. In the day's final over, off-spinner Jason Brown had Ronnie Irani caught at short leg.
Despite a fluent half- century by David Sales, the honours of the morning belonged to Essex for they captured five wickets, including those of Tony Penberthy, who continued in the same commanding manner in which he had batted on the previous evening, and Sales.
Penberthy's unfinished partnership with Rob Bailey was ended by Mark Ilott, who had the latter caught behind. Two wickets fell at 82, Curran lbw to Ilott playing half forward, and Penberthy, on the back foot as Jamie Grove brought one in to him. But Sales and Gary Swann staged a speedy revival, holding complete sway over the bowling as they added 74 for the fifth wicket in 16 overs.
A stunning reflex catch at short leg by substitute Ian Flanagan, at short leg, as Swann whipped Such off his pads, ended the stand and in the last over before lunch, Paul Prichard at mid-off sprawled forward to hold another good catch to remove Sales. However, Taylor and Toby Bailey put on 74 to loosen Essex's grip further.
Stuart Law has been re-engaged as Essex's overseas player for next season.
Day 3: Axes may fall after wooden displays
By Rob Steen at Chelmsford
Essex 283 & 95-9 v Northants 120
A DOG-FIGHT at the top, a cat-fight at the bottom. Indeed, had Essex fingers been less buttery, the county's first wooden spoon since 1950 might conceivably have dropped into Northamptonshire's lap instead. As it was, while the visitors' claws proved marginally sharper, a winter of blood-letting beckons in both camps.
The sight of those notable soul-mates Graham Gooch and John Emburey peering anxiously down at proceedings from the dressing-room balcony, each wishing disappointment on the other, amplified what was at stake when Essex resumed in the morning at 50 for five, the lead a tenuous 71.
Given that Steve Peters was hors de combat with a fractured cheek-bone and a patch over his right eye, it was stretching the bounds of optimism to envisage the home tail wagging with sufficient vigour to set a taxing target. Barring a few authentic drives from Jamie Grove, expectations were not confounded.
Seeing Devon Malcolm at full throttle these days may be a treat largely confined to video watchers, but the old boy certainly rolled back the years in the opening hour. Having picked up just two victims in his previous 83 overs, Northants' fitful spearhead peppered Mark Ilott, Grove and Peter Such with bouncers, sapping the fight out of them and ultimately claiming the four remaining wickets as Essex subsided for 95.
The decision to give a 35-year-old quick bowler a three-year contract may have prompted one to question the precise number of marbles at his new employers' disposal, but then Malcolm has spent his career defying logic.
``We can still win this,'' asserted one Essex member to his companion as they adjourned for lunch. Given that Northants were 48 without loss at the time, one half-expected to learn that he was on an away day from cloud cuckoo-land.
That said, though Alex Swann and Rob Bailey collected 70 of the requisite 117 before being parted, Swann was dropped twice. Had Kevin Curran not survived a sharp chance to cover, moreover, Such would have capped his summer of restoration with a hat-trick.
Curran himself drove the winning runs, bringing a deceptively up-beat end to a season of personal and collective dismay. Whether the captain survives the close season must be considered doubtful, and even though Mark Taylor, the Australian skipper, rejected an approach last week, there may be a temptation to promote Mal Loye, if only to stop him carrying out his threat to leave.
Paul Prichard, whose injuries and lamentable form have tarnished the glitter of July's Benson and Hedges Cup triumph, may also be for the high-jump. His one saving grace is that Essex are traditionally more inclined to allow captains to fall on their sword than lop their heads off.
Day 3: Essex end season of woe defiantly
By D J Rutnagur at Chelmsford
Northants (262 & 120-3) bt Essex (283 & 95) by 7 wkts
PETER SUCH'S capture of three wickets while Northamptonshire gathered the last 47 runs represented Essex's final gesture of defiance before taking possession of the wooden spoon.
Although they were defending a margin no larger than 116, they would have lost with more honour had they held their chances.
Their failure to do so was symptomatic of Essex's whole season, easily identified as their poorest yet.
They had finished at the foot of the table once before, in 1950. But the bottom line was less embarrassing. Then, they scored four wins compared to two in 1998, and the ratio of defeats was 12 from 28 matches to 11 from 17.
Although prospects were for a short day's cricket and a heavy Essex defeat, a fair crowd turned up to see the season out and there was a touching scene as Essex trooped off the field: several of the team applauded the members.
While Peter Edwards, the Essex secretary, has had to answer quite a pile of members' letters expressing disappointment at their performance, there has been no outcry for heads to roll.
True, Essex had problems by way of injuries, lack of experience and the unavailability of Nasser Hussain for a number of matches. But if they are realistic, they must look beyond these handicaps for an explanation for repeated failures.
Northamptonshire, who were in peril of finishing even lower than their final placing of 15th, seem to be looking for a new captain from outside to lead their revival.
They made an unavailing approach to Australia's Mark Taylor, who had already committed himself to a broadcasting assignment during the World Cup.