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Stevens makes it tough on Essex

Leics (169-5) beat Essex (166) by five wickets

Thanks to a quirky fixture list, the Chelmsford public had not been granted a one-day game at the County Ground for two months. But wherever Essex, the bottom county, might play the story remains the same in the CGU National League.

Leicestershire, mainly through a commanding 68 from Darren Stevens, kept in touch with the Division One leaders yesterday with a victory so comfortable that it was almost embarrassing. There were more than 13 overs to spare when Essex were consigned to their fifth consecutive league defeat.

The dank conditions were awkward, but Essex's batting coped poorly with some penetrative seam bowling; their resources were stretched in the absence of Stuart Law, who withdrew through illness before the start.

The oddity of the Essex innings was that Darren Robinson carried his bat for 74. This was unusual in one-day cricket and unexpected from a batsman with little credibility as an opener at this level.

But without him Essex's suffering supporters would have had little to watch in this rare coloured-clothing match in the city.

Robinson's day ended at the halfway stage because his wrist was bruised by a stray throw while he snatched a run late in his innings and he was unable to field.

Essex's cause was further undermined when Ronnie Irani bruised his bowling hand attempting to hold a rasping drive from Paul Nixon, who unsympathetically whacked four-six-four off Irani's next three balls.

Stevens, the Hinckley batsman who effectively started his career in June at the age of 23, produced a pleasing range of strokes as Leicestershire strode crisply to their target.

His innings lasted only 75 balls, and Essex were condemned to defeat by the time he carelessly lofted a catch to mid-off to give Danny Law, the pick of the bowlers, his third wicket.

Earlier, Michael Kasprowicz and Jonathan Dakin found enough away movement to undermine the Essex batting quickly. Paul Prichard fell to the day's third ball and Nixon held four simple snicks as Essex slipped to 82 for six.