Essex captain Tom Westley believes his side has finally "turned a corner" after securing a hard-fought six-wicket victory over Hampshire at home in the County Championship. The win, only their second of the season, comes as a much-needed boost for a team that has struggled to find consistency in Division One.

The triumph lifted Essex to second place in the table, pending results from other matches—a promising position for a squad that has shown flashes of brilliance without putting together complete performances. "We've played some really good cricket in patches but without being able to string three or four days together," Westley admitted, referencing their gritty draw against Surrey at The Oval as a sign of what they're capable of.

This victory was particularly sweet because it wasn't easy. The scorecard might suggest a comfortable chase, but Westley was quick to acknowledge the challenge: "It wasn't easy batting out there, especially against a world-class bowler like Kyle Abbott. By our own high standards, we didn't play to the level we can, but to come away with 20 points is something we desperately wanted."

The hero of the day was all-rounder Matt Critchley, who smashed a brilliant 90 not out from just 73 balls, including 15 boundaries. His fourth-wicket partnership of 101 with Charlie Allison (34) guided Essex home in style. Critchley has been in exceptional form recently—he also scored 173 and took 5-9 with his leg-spin when Essex beat Hampshire last month. "For a number of years, Critch has stepped up. He is such a reliable cricketer with bat and ball," Westley praised. "He richly deserves moments like this for all the hard work he puts in."

Essex, who last won the County Championship title in 2019, now turn their attention to their final match of the opening block against Leicestershire on Friday. After that, it's a switch to the fast-paced T20 Blast. With momentum on their side and belief in the camp, Westley is optimistic: "Morale has been good, and we firmly believe we are one of the best teams in the division. Hopefully, we have turned a corner."