County Championship: Worcestershire bowl Essex out for 177 on day one

Worcestershire's Josh Tongue (right) took wickets in three successive overs after lunch

Essex were bowled out for 177 on day one of their County Championship match against Worcestershire at New Road.

Alastair Cook top-scored with 37 in his final county outing before the start of England's Test series with Pakistan.

Cook went unbeaten until lunch, at which point Essex were 64-2, but Pears paceman Josh Tongue (4-45) inflicted a collapse to leave the champions 101-6.

Ed Barnard chipped in with 3-49 for the hosts, who had reached 47-0 in reply when bad light forced an early close.

Brett D'Oliveira (34 not out) registered his highest score of the season so far and, alongside fellow opener Daryl Mitchell, will hope to press home Worcestershire's advantage after an exceptional first-day showing.

Essex won the toss and chose to bat first at New Road but, having twice been bowled out cheaply in their home defeat by Yorkshire, they failed to pass 200 for the third Championship innings in succession.

Pace bowler Tongue's burst of three wickets in consecutive overs after lunch put Worcestershire, winless so far this season, in the ascendancy and they wrapped up Essex's first innings just before tea.

The players briefly returned after a half-hour interruption for bad light, but only 14 more balls were possible before the weather again intervened.