A battling fifth wicket century partnership between Matthew Walker and Mark Ealham held up Essex's victory bid in their Championship duel against Kent at Chelmsford yesterday.
They came together with 25 still needed to clear off the arrears after Nasser Hussain's 206 led Essex to a first innings total of 514.
Their response to the crisis was to add 127 before Walker became a victim of Justin Bishop for 65.
But Ealham remained defiant until the close which arrived with 85 against his name out of a total of 278-5. Kent resumed the final day this morning 145 ahead.
Both Walker and Ealham resisted for 37 overs against an attack lacking strike bowler Jon Dakin, who pulled out of the side at the 11th hour with a heel injury.
In his absence Joe Grant was given a chance to shine, but his hopes were cruelly cut short when he broke down with a groin injury during his fifth over on the opening day when Kent scored 381.
This problem placed a great burden on the other bowlers, but for a while yesterday they looked as though they would earn a day off.
Starting their second innings 133 adrift, Kent were soon plunged into trouble. James Middlebrook found the edge to have Mike Carberry caught at slip by Andy Flower and, one run later, with the total on 28, Ed Smith swung Graham Napier to Aftab Habib at square leg.
Off-spinner Middlebrook was to claim his eighth wicket of the match as Flower accepted another slip catch to get rid of David Fulton, and soon after the 100 was raised Andrew Symonds was bowled by Napier without offering a stroke.
Walker and Ealham were to counter-attack so effectively that they carried Kent into a three-figure lead before they were separated.
But Ealham, who has so far struck 14 boundaries, and Geraint Jones held firm to carry their partnership into the final day and leave Essex with plenty to do if they are to claim their second Championship victory of the summer.
The Essex innings was dominated by Hussain whose 206 was just one short of his career best while playing for England against Australia at Edgbaston six years ago.
Astonishingly, before this latest effort, he had scored only 140 runs in seven Championship games and went into this match with an aggregate of just 82 this summer from six trips to the middle.
More on Essex County Cricket Club
Published Monday, June 30, 2003
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