PETTINI AND BOPARA GET ESSEX BACK ON TRACK by Marcus Hook
Essex 399-6 v Surrey 330.

Having suffered a couple of losses as day one drew to a close, Mark Pettini and Ravi Bopara were instrumental in Essex regaining the upper hand at Castle Park, Colchester yesterday. Both perished within sight of reaching three figures, but with the loss of just four more wickets in 104 overs of action Ronnie Irani's men showed the requisite diligence on a pitch which is showing signs of turn to suggest that they, rather than Worcestershire, will again be rubbing shoulders with Surrey in Division One next summer.

Pettini and Bopara put on 170 in 54 overs for Essex's third wicket, although both were fortunate to progress beyond their twenties when, in successive overs from Neil Saker and Azhar Mahmood, chances from Bopara and then Pettini were allowed to go to ground.

Bopara, playing the lead role, reached his fifty off 60 balls, while Pettini only broke free after taking 134 deliveries over his half-century. By lunch the pair had moved the total from 32 to 150 for two. But the introduction of Stewart Walters's medium pace brought about the downfall of Bopara, who was trapped leg before attempting to find the mid-wicket boundary.

The 21-year-old struck 94 off 138 balls, including 12 fours and a straight six off Ian Salisbury. Pettini, with only one century to his name, will be kicking himself for throwing away the opportunity of recording a second. Not long after pulling Walters for six, he tried to repeat the shot off Mohammad Akram and was held at backward square leg.

With Salisbury picking up a knee injury attempting to take a catch, the visitors were deprived the services of their leading wicket-taker this season for most of the afternoon, which proved no less arduous for the Division Two leaders.

They will have been relieved to have seen the back of Andy Flower, who was caught at gully by substitute fielder Laurie Evans off the bowling of Saker, for just 24. But Irani feasted on some dutiful fare until over-confidence resulted in the Essex skipper being caught at backward point after giving Nayan Doshi the charge.

That left James Foster and James Middlebrook to forge an unbroken alliance for the seventh wicket, which is so far worth 89. Pulling and driving with increasing authority, Foster took 77 balls over his fifty, and ended the day with an unbeaten 71 from 134 deliveries.

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