ESSEX defeated Gloucestershire by five wickets in their County Championship Division Two match – but they went about it the hard way.

After skittling out their hosts for 116 in their first innings and enforcing the follow on, Essex were made to work hard on the third day to claim victory.

Gloucestershire went from their overnight 126-3 to post 316 all out in their second innings and then took five wickets as Essex’s run chase got off to a shaky start.

The host county’s early resistance was led by 103 from Michael Klinger and Ian Cockbain (25) who took them to 126-4, before skipper Geraint Jones (37) teamed up with the Australian to make it to 195 before Klinger went for the fifth wicket.

Benny Howell (48) then frustrated the Essex attack alongside Craig Miles (37) as Essex chipped away.

Three wickets fell for single figures before Essex finally bowled Gloucestershire out for 316 from 101.4 overs, with Graham Napier (3-53) and Jamie Porter (3-66) doing the most damage with the ball.

Essex started their second innings needing 114 runs for victory but suffered an early blow when England captain Alastair Cook went for a golden duck, caught by Jones of a James Fuller delivery, with two runs on the board.

Nick Browne (6) only added a further four runs to his tally before be became Fuller’s second victim as Essex crumbled to 16-2.

Tom Westley (65no) remained at the crease throughout the rest of the innings but saw Ravi Bopara go for five and Ryan ten Doeschate perish for a single as the visitors stumbled to 26-4.

Captain James Foster (14) and Westley got Essex to 73-5 but that was as good as it was to get for Gloucestershire as Jesse Ryder came in at number seven and hit an unbeaten 20 to help see Essex to a winning 117-5 off 29 overs.