Stuart Law came roaring back to form to dominate the Essex innings on the opening day of their Championship clash against Notts at Chelmsford.

The Australian star, whose name has been recently removed from the list of his country's contracted players, carried on where he left off last summer as he lit up a dull day with a magnificent 120 not out from a total of 216-6.

Law, who was English cricket's leading run-getter last summer with just over 1,800, went into the match having scored just 25 runs in four limited over games during the opening two weeks of the new campaign.

However, he looked in prime form as he put the Notts bowlers to the sword with the grace and authority which highlighted his batting 12 months ago.

Law arrived in the middle with Essex distinctly groggy. Paul Prichard had been forced to retire with a badly bruised left arm after being struck by a David Millns' delivery in the day's fourth over. Then Nasser Hussain managed just one scoring stroke before he was dispatched to the pavilion.

He was dismissed by Paul Franks, the ball lifting sharply and looping off a glove into the waiting hands of Paul Johnson at short leg.

But Law and Paul Grayson took the early initiative away from the Notts bowlers with a series of sweetly timed drives during a partnership of 126 in 29 overs for the second wicket.

They found the gaps with ease and, when Franks dropped short down the leg side, Grayson took full advantage to collect six runs over long leg.

The Yorkshireman reached his half-century from 80 deliveries but soon afterwards fell leg before to Millns for 58, which also included eight fours.

Law's mastery took him to his 50 from 64 balls and he moved into three figures a half-century of deliveries later. His century arrived from 114 balls, included 16 fours, and was his third in four years against the men from Trent Bridge.

As Essex reached 200 with only two wickets down, the visitors were no doubt regretting their decision to field first.

But David Lucas, their young left-arm paceman, was to bring about a dramatic transformation as he claimed four wickets in 13 balls at a personal cost of three runs.

Getting the ball to swing quite a bit he had Ronnie Irani caught behind for 16, trapped Stephen Peters and Tim Mason lbw, and comprehensively defeated and bowled Barry Hyam.

Law was left watching the destruction somewhat stunned from the other end before bad light eventually cut short the day's action by 41.1 overs.

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