Essex pace bowler Ryan Ten Doeschate produced a devastating burst to bring the Notts innings to a swift conclusion in the county's second friendly clash of the season at Chelmsford.
The 23-year-old claimed four wickets in the space of eight deliveries as the visitors subsided from 204-3 to 243 all out in the last of their 50 overs.
But the match ended on a bizarre note. With Essex on 242-5 with only eight balls remaining, torrential rain sent the players off and the game was declared as a "no result".
One would have thought that they could have stayed on long enough for a clear cut verdict but the fact that they did not should not detract from Ten Doeschate's performance.
Last season he appeared on only a couple of championship games without taking a wicket.
And it would appear that he will again find himself well down the pecking order for a first-team place, especially now Ashley Cowan is available again following a long-term injury and Darren Gough has joined the county.
Scott Brant, Graham Napier, Tony Palladino and Andy Clarke are also rivals for a place. But Essex coach Keith Fletcher is cautiously optimistic that Ten Doeschate will make the grade.
"He certainly made encouraging progress and has a reasonable chance of coming through," he said.
Among the South African's victims was Jason Gallien, who scored 50 before driving firmly to Will Jefferson in the covers.
But Nottinghamshire's main contributor was Anurag Singh, whose 81 from 100 deliveries contained four sixes and eight fours before, employing the reverse sweep against leg spinner Zoheb Sharif, he was caught behind by James Foster.
It was one of three superb catches held by the Essex keeper and he went on to complete a good day behind the stumps without conceding a bye.
When Essex responded they quickly lost Alastair Cook and Mark Pettini, but Jefferson produced a series of punishing strokes while collecting 11 boundaries in his 69-ball stay until he was run out attempting a run that would have completed his half-century.
More on Essex County Cricket Club
Published Thursday April 8, 2004
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