County Championship - day one (close)

Essex 298-4 v Somerset

ALASTAIR Cook made 96 as Essex made good progress against the pink ball on day one of the day/night County Championship encounter against Somerset.

The visitors handed a first Championship appearance of the season to Peter Trego, with Steve Davies due to move up to open in place of the injured Matt Renshaw.

Jamie Overton was also included for his first four-day outing of the summer, but he and Lewis Gregory delivered expensive opening spells as Cook and Nick Browne made the most of Essex having won the toss and opted to bat.

The pair added 116 without loss in the first session, which got underway at 2pm.

Cook survived a let-off on 57 when he was put down at slip by Lewis Gregory off the bowling of Dom Bess, and several Somerset bowlers showed the pink Kookaburra ball - being trailled for the first time in Championship cricket, with Division Two games using a Dukes - to the umpires without success.

The opening partnership had progressed to 151 when Somerset gained a somewhat fortunate breakthrough, Tim Groenewald deflecting a Cook straight drive onto the stumps at the non-striker's end to run out Browne (66), who was backing up.

Dom Bess, who was bowling economically, picked up the vital scalp of Cook lbw for 96 to leave Essex 176-2.

Gregory improved in his second spell and picked up his first wicket as Tom Westley (21) was well caught by Tom Abell at cover, and Michael Pepper (22) fell shortly aftewards as Bess got one through his defences.

That was the final breakthrough, however, as Ravi Bopara (37*) and Ryan ten Doeschate (46*) saw Essex to 298-4 at the close in the face of some patient and probing bowling by Somerset.

Afterwards, Bess said: "It was a bit of a slog, especially when it was sunny. The ball wasn’t doing anything, it really wasn’t.

"I think there was a little period when it did do a bit, but those balls just seem to flake away.

"We changed the ball three or four times before 80 overs, so it’s not great, it’s not that good a ball. 

“I think I went from the first interval right the way to about halfway through the last one.

"It was a long spell, but that’s what I want to do – I want to be bowling as much as I can.

"I feel like I can take wickets. I was quite unlucky with [Ryan] ten Doeschate and Rav [Bopara], but that’s the sport –some go to hand, some don’t. I just love bowling.

"We’re obviously in a massive fight at the top, so if we can get a couple of wins we can be straight back up there.”