AN UNBEATEN 48 from Ravi Bopara helped Essex keep their promotion hopes alive, beating Hampshire by two wickets in County Championship Division Two.
The win was Essex's third this summer in the County Championship and sees them narrow the gap on third placed Surrey to 13 points.
Starting on Sunday, Essex lost the toss but Hampshire would have been regretting their decision after none of their first five batsmen amassed more than 13 runs each, Michael Carberry going for a 32 ball duck.
However, Adam Wheater got the visitors back on track with a century which was added to by a lower order unbeaten 65 from Nathan Rimmington, as Hants were all out for 246 from their first innings. Sajid Mahmood took 3-54.
Essex's first innings was steady if unspectacular as a team effort saw them amass 285. Bopara top scored with 79 before he was trapped lbw by James Tomlinson, while Jesse Ryder was not far behind with 69.
Knowing they needed some quality batting from their second innings, Carberry grabbed a half century but struggled to keep anyone alongside to form a steady partnership. Essex ensured their visitors were never allowed to settle with William Smith taking four wickets (4-46) and Ryder three (3-31) as the visitors were all out for 171.
Essex needed 133 to win, but got off to a disastrous start, slipping to 29-4. However, Bopara once again steadied the ship with 48 not out which saw Essex up to 136-8 with the help of two consecutive fours from Saj Mahmood, in his first Championship game of the season.
