County Championship: Essex skipper Tom Westley defies dominant Warwickshire at Edgbaston

Tom Westley went past 50 for the 74th time in his first-class career, of which 65 have been for Essex

County champions Warwickshire ended day one on top against Essex at Edgbaston as they bowled out the 2019 and 2020 red-ball kings cheaply for 168.

Despite the loss of former England skipper Alastair Cook for 23, Essex looked in good shape at 98-2.

But the loss of Dan Lawrence for 30 triggered a collapse, triggered by spinner Danny Briggs (4-31) and paceman Oliver Hannon-Dalby (3-43).

Skipper Tom Westley was ninth out for 80 before the Bears replied on 76-2.

England opener Dom Sibley looks well set on 33, with Sam Hain on seven when the Bears resume on day two - and already it looks like the visitors' decision to bat first may have backfired.

There was also a further blow for Essex late in the day when England batter Lawrence pulled up sharply with what looked like a hamstring strain while chasing a Sibley drive, and limped off in some discomfort.

Essex, unchanged from the team that beat Somerset at Taunton last week, did not hesitate to bat against a Bears attack still missing injured England pair Olly Stone and Chris Woakes, with new signing Nathan McAndrew still under wraps.

But after home skipper Will Rhodes had got Cook out for the fourth time in as many seasons, lbw to his sixth ball, five Essex wickets went down for 11 runs in 43 balls shared by Hannon-Dalby and Liam Norwell before Briggs got to grips with the lower order.

New Bears signing Alex Davies then then smacked 22 off 21 balls on his delayed debut but he edged Sam Cook to second slip and Rob Yates was pinned lbw by Australian paceman Mark Steketee before Sibley and Hain ground out a further 30 in 16 overs.

Warwickshire spinner Danny Briggs told BBC Radio WM:

"We just hung in there and were patient when we needed to be like we did a lot last year. Coming out after lunch with them only two down it could have been a long, hard slog ahead of us, but the seamers all bowled really well, in rhythm.

"We all know the ground and conditions really well and we asked questions of the batsmen all the time. I was lucky enough to take the most wickets but it could have been any of the guys.

"It's not a 160 pitch. It's a good wicket, a normal Edgbaston wicket. As a batsman, if you get in you feel you can make runs, and as a bowler you can hold an end and there is enough in it to keep you interested."

Essex skipper Tom Westley:

"It wasn't our best batting display but we bowled brilliantly at the end and were unlucky not to get a few more wickets.

"Shane Snater bowled really well. The way he has come in the last 18 months has been unbelievable. He bowled ten overs for 14 and deserved at least a couple of wickets.

"It would have been nice to get a hundred and I was a bit disappointed to get out caught on a 45-metre boundary, to be honest. But there is another innings."