County Championship: Essex v Lancashire - Tom Westley's 81 puts hosts on course for win

Essex captain Tom Westley's 81 was his first half-century of 2024

Tom Westley kick-started his season with an innings that helped underpin Essex's commanding position against Lancashire in the County Championship at Chelmsford.

The Essex captain chalked up 1,130 runs last season but had contributed just 56 in four innings this time around.

However, his fluent 81 from 138 balls signalled a personal return to form and helped Essex construct a 231 first-innings lead against ailing Lancashire.

By close of play Lancashire had lost captain Keaton Jennings while crawling to 10-1 in 10 evening overs as they battled to avoid an innings defeat.

Essex had overhauled Lancashire's first-innings total inside 36 overs for the loss of the overnight wicket of Feroze Khushi, who had laid the foundations with a half-century at a strike-rate of 160.

Dean Elgar and Sam Cook were more circumspect, though their impact was just as demoralising for the flagging fielding side as they put on 120 in 36 overs.

Elgar passed 17,000 first-class career runs during his three-and-three-quarter-hour stay, but was eventually out caught behind when wafting at Will Williams on 79, his third 50-plus score in five innings for his new county.

There was no let-up with Elgar's departure. Westley and Jordan Cox settled into a steady rhythm.

Their partnership was worth 57 when Cox dragged Jack Blatherwick tamely to short midwicket. Matt Critchley came and went quickly, Nathan Lyon finding one to turn sharply and catch the angled bat on its way into slip's hands.

The introduction of Luke Wells' spin just before tea resulted in a flurry of scoring, his only over in the spell conceding 17 runs; Westley whipped a delivery through the covers to reach his 50.

Noah Thain played attractively on his first-class debut for 24 from 50 balls before being undone by one that kept low from George Balderson. Four overs later, Westley was also the victim of another low delivery from Lyon.

The innings was wrapped up in the space of eight balls when Wells trapped both Shane Snater and Simon Harmer.

Lancashire's reply faltered when Jennings, a century-maker against Hampshire last week, went for his second single-figure score in the match, lbw misjudging a delivery from Jamie Porter.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.