Jonathan Dakin and skipper Ronnie Irani continued their good form with the bat while helping Essex to a 28-run victory over Northants in their 45 overs battle at Wantage Road. Both batsmen have scored freely in earlier warm-up games and were among the runs once more as the County reached 231-8 and then dismissed their opponents for 203 in the 43rd over. Dakin, the new recruit from Leicestershire, smashed 14 boundaries while making 64 from as many deliveries, while Irani's unbeaten 72 contained three sixes and seven fours. Both players unleashed a series of fluent drives either side of the wicket against an attack that included Ricky Anderson, who turned down the offer of a new contract with Essex before joining the east Midlands outfit. Darren Robinson was the other major run-gatherer, scoring 52 while sharing in an opening stand of 101 with Dakin. It was broken when Dakin was bowled by Michael Cawdron and that signalled the start of a collapse in which four wickets went down in the space of nine runs. Aftab Habib was bowled by Cawdron and was quickly followed back to the pavilion by Paul Grayson - another Cawdron victim - and Robinson, who edged a rising Michael Cassar delivery to slip. But Irani refused to go into his shell following these disasters. He opened his shoulders while those who came and went played a supporting role. A strong Northants line-up were soon in trouble when they replied. Opener Graham Swann and Adrian Rollins had only just got into double figures when bowled by Andrew McGarry and Dakin respectively, and then Andy Clarke got rid of David Sales and Tony Penberthy. But Clarke was to come in for severe punishment from Cassar as he revived the home side's fortunes with 60 from 47 balls. That effort included three sixes among his eight boundaries, but once he drove into the hands of Irani at mid-off to provide Dakin with his second wicket, Essex regained control to run out worthy winners. It was their fifth victory in seven warm-up games.

Scores:

Essex 231-8 (45 overs) Irani 72no, Dakin 64, Robinson 52, Cawdron 3-31, Anderson 2-30.

Northants 203 all out (42.4 overs) Cassar 60, Loye 32, Phillips 30, McGarry 2-23, Dakin 2-32, Grayson 2-50, Clarke 2-70