Ricky Anderson bowled Essex to a magnificent victory over Leicestershire with a day-and-a-half to spare in the opening CricInfo Championship game of the season at Grace Road.

Anderson followed up his first innings haul of 4-21 with a 5-50 return in the second innings as Essex won by an innings and nine runs.

With Aftab Habib absent because of a family bereavement the match ended just over 30 minutes after the lunch interval on the third day when Jon Dakin was caught at extra cover by Steve Peters to give Anderson his fifth wicket.

It was a victory promoted Essex fully deserved having outplayed Leicestershire from start to finish on a pitch that always gave some assistance to the seam bowlers.

The Essex attack certainly exploited the conditions to the full with Anderson outstanding as he bowled the perfect line and length.

Leicestershire, who started the day at 62-2, lost three more wickets before lunch and only a fine innings from new overseas player Daniel Marsh kept the game alive.

Marsh hammered a magnificent 61 off 80 balls with seven fours and two sixes before being the sixth man out.

That was on the stroke of lunch and it took just another half-an-hour for Essex to claim the final three wickets they needed to pick up 18 points and launch the season in style. ith Aftab Habib absent because of a family bereavement

© CricInfo