Lancashire won he toss on a good pitch.
Still struggled to 324ao Chanderpaul 66 supported with half centuries from Coft (56) and Hameed (54) but only a late cameo from Onions (37) in a 10th wicket stand of 17 with Matty Parkinson (0 from 6 balls) and then 18 with James Anderson (4 from 49 balls) secured batting bonus points against Kolpak signings for Essex: Quinn (3-62) and Harmer (3-38)
In reply Essex compiled 289 with no real partnerships of note. Only Chopra (60) and Lawrence (60) scored above 37 and the part time Jennings weighed in with 4-41 to keep the innings in check.
Middle of day three and a narrow lead saw Lancashire start patiently with an opening stand of 93 (Hameed 43, Jennings 40) but little else followed .Porter bagged an economical 4-71 bowling a third of the 95 overs used. The tail end blocked time out of the game with Overseas Australian Joe Mennie pushing around for a patient 34 to set Essex an even target of 257 in 2 sessions.
Essex went about it well, patient with the frontline bowlers and then pushing against the second string. Matty Parkinson (3-61) was expensive yet claimed wickets at the right time and when Lancashire were into the tail with 30 mins left in the game, Anderson (3-56) and Mennie (3-56) returned, bowling a full length to a spread field and trapping all three remaining batsmen on the crease with just 7 runs needed for Essex to win.
They sit 2nd in the table on 28 pts behind Lancashire on 32 points who remain unbeaten.
Jennings MOTM for his 32 & 40 as well as his 4-41 in the first innings.
Lancashire 22 points bt Essex 5 points by 7 runs.