County Championship Division Two – Day One at Chelmsford
1st Innings
Essex…75-0
Gloucestershire…224 all out
REECE Topley helped Essex enjoy a decent opening day in their Championship match against Gloucestershire at Chelmsford.
The 21-year-old starred with the ball, taking 5-53 to rip through the visitors top-order and leave Gloucestershire on 56-6 and then 100-7.
With Essex looking for their first Championship win since April, they were guilty of letting the tail wag as Gloucestershire hit 123 for the final three wickets.
James Foster, who took six catches in the day, won the toss and elected to field first on a glorious morning at the County Ground.
And his decision was justified with his bowlers picking up early wickets. David Masters (4-67) got the wicket of Will Tavare (0) third ball as he edged behind for a simple take for Foster.
In the fourth over Topley then took the wicket of Tavare's opening partner Chris Dent for 8. Topley bowled a cracker of a delivery that nipped-away from the left-hander and Foster took a good catch diving to his left.
And in Topley's next over Gloucestershire were reduced to 17-3. The ever-dangerous Hamish Marshall (5) cut a long-hop straight to Nick Browne at point to take a simple catch.
After an hour of play Essex struck again through Masters. Ian Cockbain (6) was drawn into a shot outside his off-stump and nicked the ball through to Foster.
It was the same combination to pick up the fifth wicket in the 18th over as skipper Alex Gidman edged Masters behind as Gloucestershire struggled to 56-5. Then Will Gidman went without the score moving as Tom Westley caught him in the slips off Topley.
Adam Rouse tried to push the score along for the visitors, taking 20 from Jesse Ryder's first over. He was then given a lifeline as Ben Foakes dropped him in the gully off Graham Napier, as Gloucestershire reached lunch at 94-6.
But lunch brought the bad weather, with the best part of two hours being lost, Essex looked to make more inroads when they cam back out. Which Topley did, grabbing the wicket of Rouse (28) as he tried to cut the ball, only managing to edge through for another Foster catch.
However, Topley brought up his five-wicket haul all by himself as he clean-bowled Tom Smith for 17. Jack Taylor put up some resistance as he smashed his way to 40, but he eventually became Foster's sixth catch as he edged Masters behind.
But Payne took up his mantle and treated Monty Panesar to two massive sixes. He then carried the onslaught to Essex as he carried his bat for 48 not out, with Matt Taylor finally being dismissed by Graham Napier. Ryder caught Taylor in the slips for 26 as Gloucestershire were all out for 224.
In reply, Westley (46*) and Browne (28*) had to negotiate a potentially tricky 19 overs, which they managed to do with ease. Essex capped off a successful day on 75-0 and with good weather forecast for the next three days they will be hoping to push on for a positive result.
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