GLAMORGAN spinner Dean Cosker claimed five for 48 but Essex held on for a draw on the final day of their LV= County Championship Division Two clash at Cardiff.

Glamorgan had set Essex a massive 333 to win in 53 overs but the visitors found themselves reduced to 104 for six with Cosker and Robert Croft causing the damage.

Essex were indebted to the seventh-wicket partnership of Graham Napier and Tim Phillips who batted out the remaining 21 overs to help their side finish on 143 for six.

Glamorgan took 10 points from the game to Essex's eight.

Glamorgan had eventually declared on 296 for five in mid-afternoon but there had been plenty of audible complaints among supporters that captain Alviro Petersen had delayed his declaration too long, leaving Essex a stiff run rate of 6.4.

Openers Tom Westley and Billy Godleman made a steady start to the Essex run chase as they reached 54 without loss before spinners Cosker and Croft claimed three wickets in 13 balls just before tea.

The dismissal of Westley (22) started the collapse when he was caught at slip off Cosker, before Croft struck with his third delivery as Godleman (33) departed lbw.

In the next over Owais Shah drove Cosker straight for six before he also departed leg before for seven.

After tea Essex captain James Foster (10) turned one to leg slip off Cosker, who completed his five-wicket haul by removing Jaik Mickleburgh (10) and Adam Wheater (11).

Cosker took his five wickets for 22 runs in 59 balls, although his efforts were not enough to see Glamorgan to victory.

At the start of the final day the hosts had resumed on 126 for one - an overall lead of 162 - but they suffered something of a collapse losing four wickets in 13 overs.

David Masters created much of the damage in a burst of three for five in only 29 balls.

In the third over of the day Will Bragg went lbw to Maurice Chambers having failed to add to his overnight total of 59.

Michael Powell struck successive fours off Masters, who gained his revenge by trapping the Glamorgan right-hander in front for 11.

Glamorgan then found themselves 174 for five with Masters breaking through twice more. First he had Stewart Walters well caught at slip by Phillips for six and then had Petersen (77) leg before.

But either side of lunch Mark Wallace and Jim Allenby put on 119 for the sixth wicket as Glamorgan built towards a declaration.

When Wallace was out Glamorgan were on 293 for six - an lead of 329 - but still the declaration from Petersen did not come until Graham Wagg (one) was out in the next over.