Warwickshire underlined their LV=Insurance County Championship title-chasing credentials by completing a four-wicket win over fellow challengers Essex inside three days at Edgbaston. 

The story of seam-bowling dominance continued into the third day as Essex were bowled out in their second innings for 215. Chris Rushworth exploited helpful overhead conditions to finish with four for 62 (eight for 90 in the match) as Hassan Ali took four for 48. 

That left a victory target of 100 and, as batting remained far from straightforward, Warwickshire had to work hard to get there, reaching 100 for six from 27.2 overs. 

The skills of Rushworth and Hassan, ably supported in the seam department by Olly Hannon-Dalby and Ed Barnard, were the decisive factor in a fast-moving match which yielded a result on the third day despite the loss of 41 overs to the weather on the first two. 

A first defeat of the season came as a jolt for Essex after their impressive display in the draw against champions Surrey last week. Warwickshire’s third win in five games continued a strong start that has far exceeded expectations after they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last September.  

After Essex resumed on the third morning on 86 for four, still trailing by 30, overnight pair Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper took their side in front but neither lasted much longer as three wickets fell in 15 balls. Critchley edged Hassan Ali to Rob Yates at first slip and Rushworth pinned Pepper lbw and had Doug Bracewell brilliantly caught by Sam Hain at second slip. 

Simon Harmer (50 not out, 79 balls) and Shane Snater (31, 32) attacked effectively to ensure they would at least have something to bowl at, but the relentless seam team kept nagging away. Snater was snared lbw by Hannon-Dalby, and Hassan Ali had Sam Cook caught at long leg and Jamie Porter taken at slip. 

Chasing 100 in a minimum of 73 overs, Warwickshire had plenty of time but Alex Davies sought to do the job quickly and fell lbw to Cook when he missed an attempt to send the ball into the River Rea. 

Batting remained awkward as Essex’s seamers showed their skills. Yates edged Porter into the cordon and when Bracewell produced two superb away-cutters to remove Hain and Will Rhodes in three balls, it was 65 for four and Essex had a glimmer of hope. 

Dan Mousley and Barnard added an important 21 and, though the dismissal of Mousley and Michael Burgess in successive overs had a few home nerves jangling at 91 for six, Barnard (23 not out, 28 balls) steered his team home.

"The first day was key when we were 80 for two and then lost that cluster of wickets to be all out for 126," said Essex head coach Anthony McGrath.

"Even though the pitch was tricky, as it was all game, if we had got to somewhere around 180, it would have been a different game. Then the second pivotal passage was the 70-run stand by their last two which really hurt us.

"We scrapped hard after that and I think we would've probably defended 150 but it was still a really good effort from the lads. It was just disappointing that we were below par for two days, but credit to Warwickshire - for the first two days they outplayed us.

"The weather all around the country has been so wet. We saw when the covers came off there was a luminous green around the grass, it's just been so difficult for the groundsmen.

"We knew it was going to be difficult and the ball was going to nip about. The toss was really important but, having said that, we had to bat better in the first innings. We have done that this year but this time we were below par so we have got to bounce back next week against Notts.

"We talked about setting them somewhere in the region of 130-150 today. Simon Harmer batted really well but every time we started getting a partnership together we lost a couple of wickets. We fought hard as we always do and nearly pulled off something special but it was not to be."