Day three: Warwickshire 190 and 220, Essex 205 and 11 for 0, need 195 to win.
A fascinating final day awaits in the Rothesay County Championship at Edgbaston, where Essex will resume on 11 without loss, chasing a target of 206 to beat Warwickshire.
On the third day of this rain-affected game, Essex took a slender lead of 15 when they extended their first innings to 205 thanks to Simon Harmer’s 48 (91 balls). Nathan Gilchrist took four for 40, his best figures for Warwickshire, and Ethan Bamber three for 44.
Warwickshire then made 220 second time round as Beau Webster unfurled a majestic 91 (123). Sam Cook took five for 58, and Shane Snater three for 15, but a tenth-wicket stand of 32 between Gilchrist and Ethan Bamber evened a low-scoring contest right up
Essex are slight favourites to win, though they have plenty to do on a pitch offering some assistance to seamers. It is an engrossing contest which supports the argument that cricket is most entertaining when conditions offer the bowlers some (but not too much) assistance.
Essex resumed on the third morning on 110 for three, just 80 behind, but were soon hit by a burst of three for eight in 16 balls from Gilchrist. The overnight batters were removed when Charlie Allison 44 (94) fell lbw and nightwatcher Cook, having resisted for 53 minutes, was caught high at second slip by Rob Yates.
Michael Pepper then fell second ball when he couldn’t resist a half-volley, and Beau Webster took a smart low catch at cover. If Pepper contributed to his own downfall, so did Matt Critchley 18 balls later when he lashed a wide ball from Bamber to point.
Harmer knuckled down defiantly, but Ed Barnard defeated Shane Snater’s leg-side swipe to win an lbw decision. When Keith Barker disturbed debutant Zaman Akhter’s off-stump, Essex were still four behind with the last pair together. Harmer twice lifted Barnard into the Hollies Stand to take Essex in front and past 200, but then played on to Gilchrist with the lead just 15.
Warwickshire’s second innings reached 14 without loss, but they then lost three wickets in 22 balls without adding a run. Jamie Porter inflicted the damage in the first innings. This time it was Cook as Alex Davies and Sam Hain edged to second slip either side of Dan Mousley driving to cover.
At 14 for three, Webster settled into an innings of the highest quality, but support was fleeting as Essex kept breaking through again just as partnerships developed. Stands of 44, 36 and 50 respectively, with the Aussie ended when Yates lifted Snater to cover, Barnard edged the same bowler into the cordon, and Zen Malik plonked Porter straight into the hands of deep square leg.
Harmer chipped in with the wicket of Jordan Thompson, caught at slip. When Cook completed his 15th first-class five-for when Barker edged behind, it was 188 for nine, but Bamber (19 not out) and Gilchrist 17 eked out a potentially invaluable 32 from 48 balls before Snater bowled the latter.
Faced with an awkward four overs to bat, Essex survived unscathed with acting captain Cook completing his excellent day with another successful mission as nightwatcher.
Warwickshire all-rounder Beau Webster said: “It’s pretty evenly poised, I think. We have seen three innings now around the 200 mark so we are well and truly in the game. If we can put the ball in the right areas often enough there is still enough there for the seamers.
“It was certainly tough batting out there. They are a good bowling group, the Essex boys, they challenge the forward defence and, on a wicket that was offering them some help, it was certainly challenging. I just tried to put a bit of pressure back on them and get our innings going that way.
“I felt good out there today. That’s the way it goes sometimes, I certainly didn’t feel like that in the first innings. It was doing plenty but I like to try to put a bit of pressure back on the bowlers to make sure they can’t bowl the type of balls that can get me out.
“It was a good partnership with Zen. He was a little but unlucky to get out on the short boundary there but hopefully we have got enough to win tomorrow.”