County Championship: Essex in strong position against Kent on day one

Alastair Cook has scored 813 runs with four centuries for Essex this season

Matt Critchley's unbeaten 80 helped Essex reach 327-4 at stumps on day one of their County Championship match with Kent at Canterbury.

Critchley cashed in after being dropped on six after Alastair Cook had made 78 and Tom Westley 54.

Grant Stewart had Kent's most economical figures with 1-48, but the bowlers struggled to make inroads in a game that could be pivotal for their hopes of avoiding relegation.

The contest had looked even when Essex were reduced to 221-4, but Critchley's unbroken partnership of 106 with Feroze Khushi, who was unbeaten on 46 at stumps, tipped the momentum back in the visitors' favour.

Kent chose to bowl after winning the toss, but struggled to create any chances despite heavy cloud cover at the Spitfire Ground.

Essex were 82 without loss at lunch and enjoyed a break early in the afternoon session when Cook was put down in the slips after edging Stewart when he was on 44.

The opening stand of 101 ended when Matt Quinn took a sharp return catch to remove Nick Browne for 45, but Cook and Westley put on 58 for the second wicket before the former edged Stewart to Ollie Robinson at first slip.

Dan Lawrence made nine before his off stump was yorked by Daniel Bell-Drummond but Jack Leaning was then denied a wicket when Critchley was dropped by Ben Compton at short leg, leaving Essex 207-3 at tea.

Westley was run out soon after the resumption, after Critchley had steered Harry Podmore towards third. Having comfortably strolled two, Westley inexplicably set off for the wicketkeeper's end and was inches short when Sam Billings gathered Joe Denly's throw and broke the wicket.

At that point Kent were well in the game, but the visitors responded with another substantial century stand, Khushi joining Critchley and comfortably seeing off the new ball before batting through the close.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.