Dan Lawrence, Tom Westley drive Essex into the ascendancy towards Warwickshire

Essex 391 for 7 (Lawrence 152, Westley 114) vs Warwickshire

Lawrence, allowed to play by England on the proviso he is able to scuttle all the way down to Lord’s if required, when he will likely be changed within the Essex line-up by nominated substitute Nick Browne, gave full vary to his pictures in an immaculate 152, his second century of the season.

The third-wicket pair placed on 227 in 59 overs of chic stroke-play till Westley dragged Ed Barnard to brief midwicket. His 193-ball 114 took his season’s tally to 739 runs, by far essentially the most of any participant in Division One.

Matt Critchley upped the tempo with 47 from 43 balls in a 70-run stand with Lawrence, who lastly departed after 5 and a half hours, 225 balls and 15 fours, a second sufferer for Warwickshire loanee Dom Bess. By the shut, Essex had amassed 391 for seven

Westley had gained the toss on a green-tinged Chelmsford wicket used beforehand for a one-day worldwide between Bangladesh and Ireland, and consigned Warwickshire to a sweaty day below floppy sunhats within the discipline.

The captain discovered himself on the wicket on the finish of the primary over after Feroze Khushi – changing Browne on the prime of the order – dabbed at a ball from Chris Rushworth and nicked behind.

Lawrence joined Westley 5 overs later to resurrect Essex from 20 for 2 after Alastair Cook was tucked up by Hassan Ali and in addition went caught behind.

Warwickshire had misplaced spinner Danny Briggs when he limped out of the Blast final week with a hamstring harm and acted shortly by bringing in Bess on mortgage from Yorkshire.

Westley took a liking to the one-time England spinner and cracked two fours by means of the covers earlier than bouncing down the wicket and putting him over midwicket for one more boundary. Bess toiled within the solar and ended the primary day of his Warwickshire spell with figures of 32-1-143-2.

Westley handed fifty for the sixth time within the Championship this season when he drove his 72nd ball to mid-on for a single. It was marginally faster – by two balls – than Lawrence’s third rating past fifty this 12 months.

The partnership was value 99 at lunch and clicked on to 3 figures from 150 balls straight after. By tea, one other 128 runs had been added in 34 overs.

In between, Lawrence was displaying what Essex will miss when he strikes to Surrey on the finish of the season. There was a wonderful off-drive to the fence off Hassan Ali after which a simple straight-drive off the Pakistan bowler.

Warwickshire had additionally introduced within the 30-year-old wrist spinner Jake Lintott on the expense of Olly Hannon-Dalby for less than his second first-class look. Westley took a liking to him, too. Indeed, his seventeenth boundary, pushed by means of the covers, took him to his century from 154 balls.

Lawrence’s ton additionally got here from 154 balls when he flicked Will Rhodes by means of midwicket for his eleventh 4.

After Westley’s four-hour keep ended to the primary ball after tea, Critchley took up the cudgels, punishing Barnard for his audacity in eradicating the captain with three boundaries in an over.

A six straight again over Bess’s head by Critchley introduced up the fifty partnership in simply 10 overs. But the ball after he had deposited Lintott over midwicket for a second most, he introduced the spinner along with his first red-ball wicket by slashing a skyer to backward level. He later added Simon Harmer, caught behind, to return figures of two for 56

In between, Bess took a debut wicket when he had Paul Walter chipping to brief mid-on, however was then reverse-swept for the 4 that introduced up Lawrence’s 150. However, Bess claimed Lawrence’s scalp when he flicked a catch off his legs