ESSEX hero Simon Harmer knows he could be in for a busy four days - if, as he expects, Lancashire prepare a spinner’s wicket for today’s top-of-the-table showdown at Old Trafford.

Groundman Matthew Merchant has a major dilemma when it comes to his preparations for a game that could ultimately decide the destiny of this season’s Specsavers County Championship.

Essex have the top two wicket-takers in Division One, in Harmer and seamer Jamie Porter.

And Harmer believes his team can cover all bases with their bowling attack, no matter what surface is served up.

The South African off-spinner said: “We’re confident enough that whatever pitch they prepare, we’ll be able to put out the right side.

"We’ve got a well-balanced squad and we’ve shown throughout the season that we can play in any conditions.

“I think they’ll look for the wicket to turn.

"They’ve got an experienced spinner in Stephen Parry and a new exciting prospect in (Matt) Parkinson.

"I wouldn’t think they’d go with anything much different than a turning wicket and play three seamers and two spinners.”

All of which sounds like the sort of scenario that would play into Harmer’s hands.

“Hopefully,” he said.

“If the weather plays its part, hopefully I can have an impact on the game.

"It would be a massive win for us if we pull it off, though to be honest the forecast isn’t looking too optimistic at the moment.

"It looks pretty wet up there on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Make no bones about it, though, it’s a big game for both sides.

"If we can beat them we really are sitting pretty, so I don’t think there will be anyone being complacent.

"We haven’t lost all season and I’m pretty sure the boys are keen to go through the season unbeaten.”

If the Old Trafford groundstaff opt for something to please the seamers, then Porter will be rubbing his hands after reaching 52 wickets, one less than Harmer, with his 12-wicket haul against Somerset at Chelmsford.

The pair bowled in tandem to share the ten second-innings wickets, split seven-three, as Essex upset second-place Lancashire’s hopes of cutting the deficit to manageable proportions. With four games to play, it currently stands at 36 points.

“They were pretty optimistic they had managed to close the gap by 20-odd points, so it would have been frustrating to see us turn Somerset over the way we did, bowling them out in a session and a half," added Harmer.

“They were pretty certain we wouldn’t be able to do it, but it just shows the sort of space the team is in, the tough cricket we’ve been playing.

“It was a special spell from Jamie to crack things open at the beginning and it opened the door for us.

"I’m sure there will be a lot of competitiveness between us to see who takes the most wickets this season, but as long as ultimately the team benefits, that has to come first.”

Essex squad to face Lancashire: Varun Chopra, James Foster, Mohammad Amir, Nick Browne, Simon Harmer, Sam Cook, Paul Walter, Ravi Bopara, Dan Lawrence, Matt Dixon, Adam Wheater, Jamie Porter, Callum Taylor, Ashar Zaidi.