WORCESTERSHIRE’S relegation from County Championship Division One was confirmed by an innings-and-129-run defeat at Essex.

The return to the second tier comes just five days after grabbing glory in Saturday’s T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston and as a result of a meek showing at Chelmsford.

Jamie Porter was again Worcestershire’s tormentor in chief, ending the second innings with figures of four for 76 to hand him match total of 11 for 98.

It is the second time Porter has claimed 10 wickets or more in one match during his career and Simon Harmer also chipped in with a crafty four for 76 as the visitors got bowled out for 251.

Joe Clarke had batted brilliantly on day two to reach 74 overnight but failed to add to his score when Porter angled the third delivery of the morning to beat the sought-after ace between bat and pad.

It was the first time this season that Clarke had failed to convert a half century into three figures, having previously past 50 on three occasions this year.

Ben Cox was the next man to fall when he steamed down the wicket and attempted to sweep Harmer only to get clean bowled.

Three balls later, night-watchman Josh Tongue edged Sam Cook to Dan Lawrence at gully before a half-an-hour rain stoppage briefly delayed the inevitable.

Ed Barnard (22) and Wayne Parnell (50), who put on 51 for the eighth wicket, put the brakes on the Essex juggernaut but Porter snatched his fourth scalp of the innings when Barnard flicked behind two balls after lunch.

Parnell continued and crashed his way to a 94-ball half century, which included two straight sixes, with Ben Twohig accompanying him with an eye-catching 18.

But Twohig pushed Harmer to Ryan ten Doeschate at short leg before Dillon Pennington was bowled next ball to confirm Worcestershire’s fate and hand Essex a maximum 24 points in their bid to finish as runners-up.

The writing had been on the wall three overs into the first innings with Worcestershire on a demoralising 12 for four.

Clarke (28) attempted to arrest the slump but lacked the required support to steady the ship as the visitors crumbled at 32 for six.

Parnell (20) and Ben Twohig (17*) tried to bring respectability to the score but a total of 94 all out had their side on the rack.

Essex’s Ravi Bopara scored more than that on his own with an unbeaten 133 proving the cornerstone of a huge 474 for four declared in which Murali Vijay (85), Tom Westley (55), Adam Wheater (66) and Harmer (57) all featured prominently.