County cricket day four: Essex survive Ethan Brookes onslaught to grab first win

There was a dramatic finish at Chelmsford where Worcestershire lost by 28 runs while Middlesex thrashed Glamorgan at Lord’s…Worcestershire have already lost a wicket, and unfortunately for them it was Matthew Waite, a fourth wicket for Porter. The bowlers are in shirt sleeves, the keeper up the stumps, the three slips neatly arranged in height order.Ali reports from Birmingham, where it is “pissing down”. It isn’t currently raining in Manchester, but is very soggy