Warwickshire make good start to vital promotion contest

Despite missing four first team players, including Allan Donald, Warwickshire enjoyed a good start in their vital promotion contest at Chelmsford as openers Michael Powell and Mark Wagh batted through the opening session.

The visitors had been invited to bat by Essex but the home side's pace bowlers, including fit again left armer Mark Ilott who had been sidelined from the last five matches with a troublesome hamstring, failed to find a consistent line or length leaving their opponents to seize the initiative. The only alarm for the batsmen came when Wagh, with his score on 18, was dropped by Stuart Law at second slip off the bowling of Ricky Anderson.

The openers reached a century partnership in the 34th over and in the same over, Powell moved to his half century having faced 122 deliveries that included 6 boundaries.

Lunch score: 112-0 from 35 overs (Powell 51, Wagh 46)