WHAT a difference a day makes. On Saturday, Essex confirmed their position at the bottom of the County Championship table by losing to Glamorgan in front of a paltry crowd. Come Sunday, however, the faithful descended on Chelmsford to see their heroes confirm their position at the top of the AXA League with a thoroughly professional win.

Glamorgan's interest in the competition this season will be confined to trying to put a late run together to lift themselves above the cut between the first and second divisions of the National League for next season. Once they had subsided to 46 for five in the 15th over, this was never going to be the day the campaign began.

The slide began in the fourth over when Matthew Maynard drove Ashley Cowan to backward point. Adrian Dale was superbly taken by wicketkeeper Barry Hyam off Mark Ilott and Steve James was the victim of a suicidal second run, before Ronnie Irani entered the attack.

He took wickets with his second and fourth balls and later claimed two more to finish with four for 26, his second career-best return this season. His victims included Ishmail Dawood, who carried the attack to the Essex bowlers with a defiant half-century - his first in senior cricket.

Essex wasted no time going after a slightly larger target than at one time seemed likely.

After Glamorgan had claimed two quick wickets, Paul Prichard and Irani shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 143 in 27 overs to claim victory with 7.5 overs to spare. Prichard, one of the Essex walking wounded wheeled out only for one-day cricket, took only 97 balls to finish one short of the century he deserved, while Irani completed another impressive all-round performance.