Essex got their National Cricket League Division Two campaign off to a perfect start on Sunday when they demolished Middlesex to win by 60 runs.

The team could not have given skipper Ronnie Irani a better start in his First official match as team captain in a game reduced to 23 overs per side, following rain throughout the morning that prevented a start being made until 4pm.

Middlesex won the toss -- the only success that they could claim in what was to prove a miserable afternoon for them -- and invited Essex to bat.

That they reached 143 all out despite failing to bat through their complete allocation of overs was thanks to a decisive fourth wicket partnership of 65 in eight overs between Nasser Hussain and Danny Law with Hussain, playing in what is likely to be a rare One-Day League appearance for the county, scoring 60, while Law scored a typically belligerent 37 from 23 deliveries.

This was after a misunderstanding between Hussain and Irani which cost the latter his wicket when he played a ball to cover point and stood his ground only to find Hussain arriving for company.

Irani strode off, his body language summing up his feelings about his unfortunate demise.

The fall of Danny Law's wicket with the score on 124 brought about a remarkable collapse with the last seven wickets capitulating in 25 deliveries for only 19 runs.

However if the dressing room door was opening and closing rapidly for Essex, it positively whirled when their opponents batted as Irani and Mark Ilott destroyed them with a magnificent exhibition of movement as the pair plundered six wickets for five runs in 20 balls to leave Middlesex reeling at 14 for six.

Irani's victims included the prestigious Justin Langer and Mark Ramprakash.

When Ashley Cowan added the scalp of Mike Roseberry two runs later, the lowest score in the competition, 23 all out, appeared under threat.

It was Middlesex that recorded that ignominious total in 1974 against Yorkshire but they managed to surpass that figure thanks to a combination of extras, who finished as second highest scorer in the innings with 24, and some late order defiance from Jamie Hewitt and David Nash.

The innings finally closed on 83 for nine, giving Essex a comprehensive success and a morale-boosting win in their quest to reclaim their First Division status.

The irony was that the match was a 'home' game for Middlesex who elected to switch the match to Chelmsford after their efforts to find an alternative venue, with Lord's unavailable, all failed to prove productive.

The further bad news for them is that they will have another fixture in the League at Chelmsford on July 2 when Essex will be the 'hosts'.

Afterwards, Ronnie Irani said: "That was an excellent way to start our campaign in this competition. We are all desperate to see the county back in the top division and performances like that will encourage everyone.

"There is no reason why we shouldn't do well, we have a side with plenty of talent. Our attitude was spot-on before the game and the mood in the dressing room was totally positive. Now we're looking to build on that confidence-boosting win."

Scores: Essex 143 all out (22.4 overs) -- Hussain 60, D. Law 37, Fraser 4-18. Middlesex 83-9 (23 overs) -- Nash 25 not out, Irani 3-10, Ilott 3-13.

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