WORCESTERSHIRE'S faint County Championship Division Two promotion hopes were finally ended by a thrashing at leaders Essex.

The evergreen Graham Napier grabbed a five-wicket haul to lead the promotion favourites to a three-day victory by an innings and 161 runs in the top-of-the-table clash.

Essex were dominant for all eight-and-a-half sessions from the moment David Masters claimed three wickets in an over on the first morning.

The soon-to-retire Napier finished with 5-59 and the ball that accounted for Brett D’Oliveira was almost unplayable.

Tom Westley, who completed a career-best 254 earlier in the day, helped hasten the third-placed County’s departure with two wickets in five balls when Ryan ten Doeschate turned to his occasional off-spinners in mid-afternoon.

The visitors, chasing 371 to make Essex bat again, were almost off to the worse possible start when Daryl Mitchell edged the fifth ball of the innings at shoulder-height to third slip where Nick Browne failed to cling on.

Mitchell’s escape cost Essex 19 runs before Masters beat him for pace with one that kept low to the last ball before lunch.

The fourth ball after lunch accounted for the other opener as D’Oliveira (25) received a delivery from Napier that reared up off a length and took the outside edge.

Napier was despatched for two straight-driven fours in three balls by Joe Clarke (22) but gained his revenge in the next over when the 20-year-old dragged a wide one on to his stumps.

Browne atoned for his earlier drop when he pulled off a flying catch at backward point to dismiss Tom Fell (18) off Will Rhodes.

Ross Whiteley and George Rhodes put on fifty in 10 overs in mid-afternoon thanks to lusty hitting mixed with careful defence but Westley’s off-spinners accounted for both men.

Whiteley (15) went to Westley’s fourth ball, lbw to one that kept low, and Rhodes (41) was brought forward to become James Foster’s first stumping victim in the Championship this season.

Joe Leach (1) did not last long before Napier shot one past him, while Ed Barnard (12) edged him to Westley at second slip.

Ben Cox (35) chipped one to Jamie Porter at mid-on to give Masters his ninth wicket of the match.

Napier’s fifth wicket wrapped up the contest when ten Doeschate dashed in at mid-off to catch Jack Shantry (18).

Essex had batted on for 68 minutes in the morning while adding 89 to their overnight 512-4 and losing the wicket of their double-centurion.

Westley put on 165 for the fifth wicket with ten Doeschate before he was called by his captain for a quick single to backward point and failed to beat D’Oliveira’s direct throw.

His 254 had taken 383 balls and included 38 fours.

Ten Doeschate (109 not out) reached his hundred from 114 deliveries with a straight drive off Barnard.

Foster helped him towards the declaration with an unbroken stand of 68 in 10 overs that included a number of one-day-style ramp shots in a 37-run cameo.