Essex 335 for 3 (Cook 65, Westley 64, Browne 60, Bopara 57*) v Northamptonshire
Scorecard
Tom Westley was one of four Essex batsmen to pass 50 © Getty Images
Alastair Cook made a patient half-century as Essex continued their fine start to the Specsavers County Championship summer by dominating the opening day against Northamptonshire at Chelmsford. Like Cook, Nick Browne and Tom Westley – both of whom have been tipped to play international cricket this summer – were dismissed in the sixties, before Ravi Bopara reached the close 57 not out.
Cook struggled for fluency early on after Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely invited the home side to bat first without a toss. The England captain, who took 38 balls to hit a boundary and 42 to sneak out of double figures, was dropped on three by Rory Kleinveldt at first slip off the bowling of Azharullah as Essex made it to lunch unscathed.
Browne looked far more at ease. He drove with elegance through the covers, and twice down the ground, but could have been run out by David Murphy at backward point on 10. On a placid surface, Northants’ bowling lacked potency and Browne was quick to profit, reaching his half-century from 87 balls with a typically attractive drive. By the break Cook was into his stride too, consecutively flicking and cutting Josh Cobb for fours.
Shortly after lunch, however, Browne prodded half-forward at Ben Sanderson and was well caught by the diving Richard Levi at first slip. With the weather brighter – although no warmer, Cook settled in the company of Westley, sharing 80 and bringing up his 50 from 127 balls. Cook edged a pull just wide of wicketkeeper but was otherwise unperturbed – cutting beautifully and even unfurling a fine cover drive – until he was drawn into an edge by Richard Gleeson and caught at the wicket. Cook seemed as surprised as all those watching that his concentration had been broken and he had missed out on a third century of the season.
Westley’s was the classiest innings of the lot. He drove on the up with rare quality and he was attractive and effective through midwicket. Three times he drove down the ground between the umpire and mid-on in reaching his fifty from 62 balls with a typically fine flick to the legside boundary, although once again a new session brought a wicket, as Sanderson – who was the pick of the bowlers – nipped one back and through his unlatched gate.
From there, Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence played within themselves to guide Essex to stumps. There was occasional evidence of the pair’s elegance – Bopara played an insouciant flick off Sanderson before tea, as well as a fine pull off Gleeson – but few risks were taken as Essex navigated their way into a position of dominance, picking up three batting points along the way. Both batsmen survived shouts for leg before with the new ball from Azharrullah, but survived to grind the Northants bowlers down.
At 6.03pm for bad light but 25 minutes later, the players returned and 2.5 more overs were bowled (still 18 balls shy of the full allocation), long enough Bopara – now looking far freer – bringing up his first half-century of the season from 125 balls with a trio of legside boundaries.
Essex made one change to the team that drew at Hove last week, with David Masters making his first appearance of the season in place of Matt Dixon. Northants, without the services of Steven Crook, Rob Keogh, Rob Newton and Olly Stone through injury, and Monty Panesar, who is not yet match fit, picked the same XI that played Sussex in their rain-ruined opening fixture of the season.
As Panesar’s comeback continued, the former England spinner played for Bedfordshire against a Suffolk side containing former Essex seamer Mervyn Westfield. Panesar took 3-20 from his ten overs.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo