MATT Walker just missed out on a century against his former county as Essex reached 330 for seven on the opening day of their Championship match against Kent at Chelmsford.

The 35-year-old left-hander, in his first season with his new county, fell just two runs short of the 26th first-class ton of his career when he was trapped leg before by Robbie Joseph.

Walker was made to work extremely hard for his runs by an attack that did not enjoy the best of luck.

He will have been bitterly disappointed to miss out on three figures but he should have been out without scoring.

He was reprieved by Martin van Jaarsveld who put down a relatively simple chance at second slip off Martin Saggers.

He also played and missed on several occasions but made progress with a series of fine drives.

Walker completed his half century from 123 balls with eight boundaries and collected another six runs before Joseph sent him on his way.

Most of his runs came during a partnership with James Foster that yielded 194.

Foster's innings proved a strange mixture. After getting off the mark from his third delivery he needed another 65 minutes to trouble the scorers again during which time he faced an additional 45 balls.

It was not until the 73rd ball he moved into double figures but he required only a further 30 to complete his half century.

This he did with a pull for six at the expense of James Tredwell, having punished Joseph for similar reward.

Foster will go into the second day on 95 having gathered 13 fours to go with his two sixes.

Essex, after being put in, reached lunch on 95 for three.

Nineteen-year-old South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell, making his debut, bowled Varun Chopra in his third over, and in the opening over of a new spell had Jaik Mickleburgh snapped up in the slips, this time Van Jaarsveld accepting the chance that came his way.

Alastair Cook looked well set before finding the hands of James Hockley low down at square leg for 41 to provide Saggers with success.

He and Parnell beat the bat often enough to have deserved greater reward as a combination of swing and lift posed problems.

Kent's only success in the second session came when Mark Pettini was bowled by Saggers for 27 with a total on 115.

Thereafter, Walker and Foster took command before Kent hit back strongly in the final 20 minutes.

After Walker's dismissal, Joseph struck again in his next over, again with the help of Van Jaarsveld, to remove David Masters for a duck.

Then Steffan Jones gave Kent even more to smile about when he had Ryan ten Doeschate caught behind by Geraint Jones.