Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have taken the new ball and they need to use it well because Essex are only 44 behind now.

Dean Elgar's century is his second in a row here against Durham. He's now on 132, while Matt Critchley is looking to join him on three figures and is now on 82. Critchley already has a century and seven half centuries against the visitors.

The introduction of the new ball yesterday did Durham no favours, with Jamie Porter taking three quick wickets in the final session. Durham need something similar to go in their favour today.

But a bonus pount is only runs away and the arrival of it will take Essex level on points with Sussex on 130!

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Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Colin Ackermann was handed the ball and struck with his fourth delivery. He bowled Charlie Allison on 33.

Essex now trail Durham by 146 runs in the sunshine of Chelmsford.

Crucially though, Dean Elgar is still out in the middle and has 93. He got 120* in the bore draw here last season and from that experience Durham will know he is capable of batting all day.

As for Ackermann, who is a part-time spinner, I think he will have a lot of bowling to do today because Durham have only got three seamers in their team.

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Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Essex were the team above Durham at the start of this week, with 12 points separating the two in their relegation battle.

But on a track which looks like a really good batting surface, Durham were all out for 333. They had been 189-1 yesterday. I don't think they got enough runs on the board in this first innings.

It means Essex have taken three bowling points to Durham's two batting points, so they are now 13 ahead, albeit there's still a long way to go in this game.

Jamie Porter did the damage just after tea yesterday and was on a hat-trick at one point. He took the final wicket today, bowling Callum Parkinson for a fourth ball duck. Porter finished with figures of 4-77. Four Durham players failed to get a run!

However, they have struggled to bowl teams out this year and have only two main strike bowlers in Matty Potts and Ben Raine.

Sam Conners is playing, but has only featured in one Championship match this season, so they really have their work cut out here.

From a spinning point of view there's Callum Parkinson and part-timer Colin Ackermann.

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