Nasser Hussain started the day having been named by Wisden as one of their five Cricketers of the Year - but he was unable to mark the occasion in style.

Essex disappointed with the bat, being bowled out for 188 on the opening day of their Championship match with Leicestershire at Grace Road, before the home side ended the day on 114-3, 74 runs adrift.

Hussain, playing his first Championship match since May 10 last year, managed only six runs before he was dismissed to a magnificent diving, one-handed catch by Darren Maddy at second slip off the bowling of Phil DeFreitas, after batting for 33 minutes and facing 21 balls.

He had just pulled his hand sharply from a delivery from former England all-rounder De Freitas to take the jar out of a shot but, perhaps still unsettled, he fell to the next delivery.

Essex had been dealt an earlier blow when Ronnie Irani pulled out of game having strained tight knee bowling against Surrey on Sunday.

The captaincy passed to Paul Grayson, who won the toss but then saw his side slip to 91-7 against the all-seam attack of the home side.

The flagging innings was revived by a stand worth 97 in 24 over by Jon Dakin and John Stephenson.

Dakin offered a difficult chance to De Freitas at mid on when he had scored five, but otherwise played responsibly.

Stephenson started in blistering style, taking 20 from the first six deliveries. His score included successive sixes off Charlie Dagnall.

Stephenson reached 50, that included eight boundaries embracing three sixes, but then three wickets fell in eight balls to wrap up the innings.

Dakin tried to cut a ball from DeFreitas and edged a catch behind, then seven balls later, Stephenson departed to an outstanding catch by Trevor Ward, who dived low to his right at over point.

Scott Brant touched his first ball to give wicketkeeper Paul Nixon his third catch of the innings and leave Essex devoid of any batting points.

Apart from the eighth wicket pair, only Will Jefferson and former Leicester player Aftab Habib played with any confidence. Jefferson had reached 32 when a ball from DeFreitas nipped back off the seam and he was rapped on the front pad.

Andy Flower batted for 66 minutes, scoring 14, before he was beaten by another delivery that seamed off the pitch.

Habib had struck seven boundaries in an impressive 35 on his return to his former home, but then spoilt his display by playing loosely at an away swinger to give first slip a uniform catch.

Leicestershire also found problems when they began their response. Maddy and Brad Hodge fell before Stevens brought up the hundred. Ward fell to Foster before bad light caused play to end for the day, cutting six overs from the allocation.

Published Thursday, May 1, 2003

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