ESSEX'S leading wicket-takers Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer plundered four more apiece as the Division One leaders dominated bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire on the opening day of their County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Porter took 4-62 and Harmer 4-47, taking their season's haul to 61 and 59 respectively, as the home side was bowled out for 201.

Only opener Dom Sibley showed the necessary resolve and technique against aggressive, accurate bowling which was rewarded by seven lbw dismissals.

Sibley scored 76, with nine fours coming from the 183 deliveries he faced.

Essex reached 69 without loss at the close of the first day of a match which could conclude with them crowned champions and their opponents consigned to relegation.

Last time Essex visited Edgbaston in the Championship, in August 2010, a seven-wicket defeat condemned them to the drop. This time, a much happier outcome is in prospect.

Essex took up the option to bowl at a brittle Warwickshire batting unit and Porter soon inflicted damage in a superb opening spell of 2-15.

The 24-year-old trapped Sam Hain and Jonathan Trott lbw to leave the home side tottering on 12/2.

He would also have had Sibley, on just two, but Harmer missed the chance at second slip.

Sibley enjoyed good fortune early on but applied himself diligently to the anchor role while partners came and went.

The opener added 46 in 16 overs with Ian Bell, 52 in 19 with Matt Lamb and 43 in 15 with Chris Woakes.

Bell, averaging just 22.89 in the Championship this season, batted with returning fluency but fell lbw to the returning New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner for 37 off 52 balls.

Not for the first time this season, Lamb got out just as he had got in, this time edging Sam Cook to wicketkeeper James Foster when on 32.

Woakes was pinned lbw on the back foot by Harmer to depart for 22.

Essex then truly took control with three wickets in the last 15 balls before tea - all lbw.

Alex Mellor inexplicably left a straight one from Harmer, Porter returned to oust Keith Barker for a duck and Harmer defeated fellow-spinner Patel.

From 187/8 at tea, Warwickshire soon lost debutant Henry Brookes, bowled by Harmer, before the gallant Sibley at least took them to a batting point before edging a big drive at Porter.

Essex then completed pretty much the perfect day as openers Varun Chopra and Nick Browne made largely untroubled progress to 69 without loss at the close.