Essex rubbished suggestions of discord with emphatic Notts win says Anthony McGrath

Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter shared 15 wickets as their one-day woes were quickly forgotten with an eight-wicket win at Chelmsford

Essex have proved there is no dressing room disharmony after clinching victory over Nottinghamshire with a day to spare in the County Championship, according to coach Anthony McGrath.

Following a miserable One-Day Cup campaign during which the Eagles won just two of their eight South Group games, there was speculation of division within the county amid captain Ryan Ten Doeschate being dropped.

But McGrath insists the eight-wicket win at Chelmsford is the perfect way to silence the doubters.

“A lot of people are talking about morale being down after the one-day competition but I’m around them guys every day and there is no problem," he said.

“The preparation for his game was fantastic and there was no moodiness.

“Losing games in certain competitions is part and parcel, it is how you come back and we have shown that despite a couple of knocks we have put in a brilliant performance.”

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Victory was underlined by two superb bowling performances, skittling out Notts for 186 and 158 thanks to Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer.

While England hopeful Porter finished with match figures of 7-118, off-spinner Harmer took 8-80 to underline Essex's return to form.

“How many times has Harmer done that [bowling] in four-day cricket? [Ben] Slater and [Ben] Duckett were going well and they were pivotal in making them lose 6-16," added McGrath.

“He was causing problems the whole way through. Even this morning when he didn’t get a wicket immediately you could see the pressure building.

“His class in those situations under pressure, there is no one else you’d want in your team than him."

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