By John Virr – 2nd X1 Scorer
DAY 1
Essex won the toss and elected to bowl. Finlay Bean and Will Bennison opened cautiously adding 33 when at the end of the 10th over the bowler Newman got a touch on a straight drive from Bean and unfortunately Bennison was out of his ground – run out for 18. Harry Duke was caught at slip for 3 and Jawad Akhtar departed in the same way for 6.
Bean, putting the occasional bad ball away progressed to 47 not out at lunch from 77 balls with 5 fours and Joe Thompson was 2 not out – Owen Smith having been bowled for 1 and at lunch Yorkshire were 85-4.
Thompson and Bean extended their partnership to 49 from 47 balls before Bean was caught behind for 70 made from 97 balls with 8 fours. This saw us go from 120-4 to 131-7 and it was thanks to Ben Coad (20 from 15 balls) and Subhaan Ali 18 not out from 23 balls that we reached 162 all out.
Coad struck in the first over having Das lbw and Isaac Bepey bowled Fernandes for 4 and Essex were 10-2. Coad struck again, this time twice in an over to reduce them further to 21-4. Ali bowled Killeen; 41-5 and at tea Benkenstein remained not out on 26 from 51 balls but Rashid was caught at slip off Dan Moriarty for 10 and Essex were 63-6.
Lockrose made 5 before being bowled by Coad and he completed his “5 for” when he had Benkenstein caught behind for 46 from 81 balls with 5 fours and a six. Ali closed the innings by having Parrish lbw and Newman bowled finishing with 3-30: Essex 107 all out.
Seven overs remained in the day at Yorkshire closed on 21 without loss to lead by 76.