Essex batters enjoy good first day at Kent

Essex recovered from an early-evening wobble to reach 287-4 at stumps on day one of their County Championship derby with Kent at Canterbury.

Openers Dean Elgar and Nick Browne scored 77 and 65 respectively, putting on 146 for the first wicket.

Joey Evison took 2-38 for a Kent attack weakened by injuries, but after reducing Essex to 224-4, they were unable to shift either Jordan Cox or Michael Pepper, who were unbeaten on 51 and 35 at the close.

Browne was on nought when he drove at Grant Stewart and Evison could not cling on to a tough chance at mid-on, but that was about as close as Kent came during a sterile opening session.

The hosts’ morning was summed up when Elgar reached 60 after a misfield from Zak Crawley.

An already injury-hit bowling attack was weakened further when Wes Agar injured his shoulder while fielding just before lunch, at which point it was 102-0.

Browne reached 50 with two off Evison, but Matt Parkinson finally broke through in the 46th over, when Elgar charged down the wicket and was stumped by Harry Finch.

Evison then produced a beauty that swung back in and bowled Browne, which meant it was time for Cox to walk out.

He took 10 balls to get off the mark and then hit Parkinson back over his head for six.

Tom Westley flashed at Arafat Bhuiyan and was caught at first slip by Crawley for 21.

Matt Critchley survived a strong lbw shout from Evison, only to be trapped in front by the same bowler for 13.

Cox continued to play watchfully while Pepper injected some aggression to tilt the contest Essex’s way. They made an unbroken stand of 63 during the day’s final hour and Cox brought up his half-century with successive fours off Parkinson in the final over.