Currently 20 points behind leaders Surrey, they face relegated Northamptonshire on Tuesday.

Surrey must lose to Hampshire without any batting points in order for Essex to win with maximum points.

McGrath told Essex that it would be tough, but you never know.

As Essex has pulled off some incredible results over the past few years, the only thing we can do is go to Northampton, get full points and see where it takes us.” If Essex wins this week with a maximum 24 points, Surrey will need five points to win the title.

In the May draw between Essex and Surrey, Essex won more points than Surrey, so if they lose with only four points, both teams would finish with 217 points.

The visitors would have been only four points behind Surrey if they had beaten Hampshire at Chelmsford last week – but Surrey chased down a target of 267 in the final over.

After being forced to follow on at The Oval, Surrey escaped with a draw against Northants.

“It’s still mathematically possible,” McGrath said. From half-way through the season, we knew we had to be perfect, and we won six on the spin, and nearly seven, so the team’s effort has been incredible.”