Bears toil as Charlie gets Essex step closer to safety

ESSEX batted solidly on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship match with Warwickshire at Edgbaston to advance towards the draw that would secure their Division One status.

- By BRIAN HALFORD

Essex closed on 325 for five with Charlie Allison's 98 (175 balls) heading an impressive collective effort. No batter scored fewer than 25 while Michael Pepper made 54 not out (94), Dean Elgar 48 (111) and Matt Critchley 47 (64).

After a washout on the first day and, judging by the weather forecast, very little play likely on the third today, this match appears nailed on for a draw which would send both teams into next week's final games safely clear of the bottom two.

In their last home match of the season, Warwickshire chose to bowl and were unlucky not to take more than one wicket in the morning session.