ESSEX ended day two of their final LV= County Championship match of the season against Worcestershire in a commanding position but with their chances of promotion fading.
The visitors ended the day 234 runs behind Essex in their second innings with eight wickets left, but events in Cardiff, where Glamorgan were playing second-placed Hampshire, were conspiring against them.
Although Hampshire had been denied full batting points as they reached 357, they bowled Glamorgan out for 172 and were 175-3 in their second innings at close on day two, 360 runs ahead.
Essex began the day 105 runs ahead, with seven wickets in hand and Nick Browne and James Foster added 35 runs before the former was bowled by Moeen Ali for 118.
Two runs later Foster fell for 48, lbw to Brett D'Oliveira. Kishen Velani made nine and Graham Napier just two, but Jesse Rydder, on the day it was announced he had signed a two-year deal with the Eagles, played a brilliant innings scoring 120 not out from 117 balls.
The New Zealand all-rounder, who took a five-fer in Worcestershire's first innings, scored 14 fours and three sixes.
He found support from David Masters, who stuck around for 86 balls, making 18 before he was caught by Daryl Mitchell off Ali.
Then Monty Panesar made a fantastic 38 from 43 balls, falling eight runs short of his highest first-class score, as Essex unfortunately went past 400 after the cut off point for bonus points, securing just the three.
Jack Shantry accounted for Panesar eventually, Alexei Kervezee taking the catch, before he had Jamie Porter trapped lbw for five. Essex concluded on 431, a lead of 347 runs.
Worcestershire again wobbled early on but not to degree of the first innings.
Richie Oliver was out for six as Ryder struck again, Browne taking the catch. And the visitors were 54-2 when Mitchell was lbw to Panesar.
But England international Ali steadied the ship, finishing the day 70 not out, with Tom Fell unbeaten on 14 as they closed on 113-2.
