Same Old Story

Well, we didn't win the toss, Gloucs did and decided to bat, but we got early success and by lunch had reduced our West Country opponents to 98-4 and were looking good.

Barnett, Taylor, Windows and Harvey all went to Irani, Cowan, Grant and Dakin respectively to put Essex in control. I turned up to watch just before lunch and caught Dakin getting Ian Harvey lbw and Dakin looked very impressive with his seamers.

During the lunch break, Andy Flower was awarded with his County Cap and soon after was awarded with his first catch for Essex, as Irani did the job of getting rid of Kiwi Craig Spearman for 80. Irani was delighted with the wicket, jumping up and down, but so he should have been, as the score was only 124-5 and with Spearman going for his 2nd century in a row, it was a great wicket to get.

And with Ashley Cowan coming into form, things were looking good when Gloucs were reduced to 145-7, as Wallace got both Snape and Jack Russell. He bowled a superb lifter to Snape which he edged and was well caught by Robinson in the slips, while Russell played on.

At this stage, Essex were in complete control and were looking like bowling their visitors out for under 200, but then the same old story happened as we sat back and let a side off the hook.

Ian Fisher (signed from Yorkshire) and Gloucs captain Mark Alleyne added an astonishing 164 runs for the 8th wicket to give Gloucs the advantage in the match.

Whatever Essex tried didn't work and Alleyne, who I think is so under-rated in county cricket, played superbly to reach 125 not out (234 balls). However, Ronnie Irani did have his opposite number struggling when on 49 bowling some very tight overs at him and got him to edge one to Dakin at slip, but the big man dropped it and Essex paid the price.

Early on Alleyne look nervous and kept looking like edging the ball behind and when he did, as said above, it wasn't taken. With Fisher, Andrew McGarry couldn't do much wrong when bowling to him, as numerous balls went agonisingly past the outside edge, but no edge!

Eventually though, the star bowler of the day got two quick wickets to leave Gloucs 9 down at the close, though Alleyne is still there unbeaten on 125. Dakin broke the big partnership by getting Fisher caught by Robbo at slip for a good 65, then had Averis caught by Flower for 6.

Jon Lewis is 0 not out and with Alleyne will start day 2 on 336-9. However, it should have been Essex starting with the bat on day 2.