'It wasn't impossible to bat' Hampshire head coach Adi Birrell so disappointed after painful defeat at Essex

They were all out for 88 giving the home side a victory inside five sessions.

Birrell was not impressed and it was a huge disappointment for the second-placed side in division one.

He said: ‘We had four overs to bat before lunch and lost a wicket straight away, Ajinkya got a first baller, so we were on the back foot right from the start.

‘Harmer bowls fairly well but the ball wasn’t turning square, it wasn’t impossible to bat.

‘Joe Weatherley batted through.

‘He applied himself and needed someone to bat through with him.

‘It is a painful and hurtful result.

‘We have had a talk in the dressing room and we have to take it on the chin. Hopefully it is a defeat in isolation.

‘We can’t afford to let this affect us.

‘It was a very bad two days.’

Birrell knows the result will stun many with Hampshire having had a good summer.

But this knocks them back in their quest to try to challenge for the top spot.

He said: ‘We had three wins and a couple of draws and it had been okay up until now.

‘We need to get back onto the horse.

‘We are not proud of what happened but we can’t fall in a heap.

‘We need to get off the floor and dust ourselves down.’