Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria claimed 6-48 for Essex against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in between the showers, as the home team had no answer to his spin.

After the first two days of the four-day match had been washed out, play finally got under way late on the third day. Warwickshire were 117-2 but then crashed to 154 all out as Kaneria spun his magic.

Four of his wickets were lbw’s, given by John Holder, as the Bears batsmen tried to sweep him only to misjudge his change of pace and spin. One of those victims included top scorer Darren Maddy for 47.

Essex closed on 38-2, but it is unlikely that there will be a result with only a day left and neither does it seem conceivable that Warwickshire will agree to a contrived result as they are above Essex in the County Championship Division Two.

Kaneria, the fifth-highest wicket-taker for his country in Test cricket, is playing for Essex after he was left out of the Pakistan’s provisional 30-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, much to the astonishment of those who have seen him bowl in county cricket this season.

He has already helped Essex to the Twenty20 Cup Finals Day with 20 wickets and they are in the Friends Provident Trophy final at Lord’s on Saturday, when they will face Kent, their slayers on Finals Day.