Ackermann hits first Durham ton against Essex

Colin Ackermann joined Durham ahead of this season from Leicestershire

Vitality County Championship Division One, Seat Unique Riverside (day one)

Durham 358: Ackermann 112, Robinson 90, Bedingham 52; Porter 3-57, Cook 3-60

Essex 5-0: Cook 4*, Khushi 1*

Durham 3pts, Essex 3pts

Match scorecard

Colin Ackermann made his first Durham century as the hosts shared the spoils with Essex on the first day of their County Championship match at the Riverside.

The former Leicestershire captain made 112 in a 294-minute innings that formed the bedrock of his side's 358 all out.

The Essex openers safely negotiated the last two overs of the day to finish on 5-0.

Sam Cook took 3-60 and Jamie Porter 3-57 but the visitors dropped Ollie Robinson on 26 and Ackermann on 90, when Yorkshire loanee Harry Duke put down a sharp chance off Matt Critchley.

Durham earlier lost Scott Borthwick as he edged Porter wide to Duke's right but the wicketkeeper took a superb one-handed catch.

And Alex Lees was then adjudged caught by Duke off Cook.

David Bedingham reached fifty off 47 balls but was bowled by a magnificent ball from Porter which beat his forward-defensive shot.

Undaunted, Ackermann and Robinson continued to score freely and Durham reached lunch on 129-3.

Robinson began the afternoon session by hitting Cook's first two deliveries to the boundary but he was then dropped on 26 off the third when Shane Snater put down a straightforward chance.

Undeterred, Robinson reached his fifth consecutive half-century of the season off 48 balls.

Ackermann reached his 50 off 117 balls but just when a century beckoned for Robinson he misjudged a routine push on the leg side off Simon Harmer and gave a simple catch to Nick Browne at midwicket.

Harmer bowled Graham Clark for three and Cook brought one back to have Brydon Carse lbw for 18, but Ackermann reached three figures with a backfoot cover drive off Harmer.

Ackermann finally fell when Cook had him lbw and Paul Coughlin pulled Porter straight to Browne and departed for 30.

Snater took the final two wickets to fall but Durham collected a third batting point.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.