ESSEX recorded their highest second innings score in 13 years as their County Championship Division Two match with Northamptonshire finished in a draw at Wantage Road.

Ryan ten Doeschate’s unbeaten 76 guided the visitors to 505-9 declared, Rory Kleinveldt taking 5-138, and after setting Northants a target of 339 in 42 overs, the hosts’ reached 115-3 before the teams shock hands with nine overs remaining.

Having taken their partnership to 258, Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder fell for 179 and 133 respectively in the morning, although three drop catches hampered Northants push for victory.

Ryder resumed on 90 and took only three overs to reach the mark for the first time this season, but only after his crisp drive to reach three figures burst through the hands of Olly Stone at cover.

Westley and Ryder’s stand was Essex’s highest for the fourth wicket since 2006, but was finally broken when Westley gloved a rising Kleinveldt delivery behind, just six short of his career best.

With the lead 217 Northants might have sniffed a chance of dismissing the hosts before lunch, but ten Doeschate was dropped by Peters at first slip and Foster edged between Kleinveldt and Alex Wakely, Steven Crook the unlucky bowler on both occasions.

Those lives allowed ten Doeschate and Foster to share a stand of 82 which ensured there would be no afternoon run chase, the former reaching a third consecutive second innings half century in as many Championship appearance this season.

Crook returned to have Foster’s caught behind for 35, with Graham Napier only making a single before falling in the same manner, and Adeel Malik was trapped LBW by Rob Keogh in the following over.

Having taken all three wickets that fell on the third evening, Kleinveldt completed his second five wicket haul in Northants colours as David Masters fended a short delivery to gully without score.

Ten Doeschate lofted Keogh for six to take Essex past 500, as the visitors recorded their highest second innings score since the 514-4 declared against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in 2002, shortly before the declaration.

With Peters unable to open the batting following his earlier dropped catch, Captain Alex Wakely opened with Rob Newton and the hosts batted out the remaining of the game with just one slight wobble as two wickets fell in five balls ten overs in.

Wakely drove Reece Topley straight to cover to fall for 13 before Rob Keogh lasted just four balls, making three before edging Napier to Nick Browne at first slip. Ravi Bopara trapped Rob Newton LBW for 33, but Richard Levi’s 53 not out, following his first innings 168, saw Northants to the close togeather with Josh Cobb.