Peter Such produced a devastating late burst to leave Essex reasonably satisfied from their first day's labours against Gloucestershire at Castle Park.

The veteran off-spinner put the County back on an even keel with three wickets in the space of 11 deliveries as the West Countrymen were left settling for 278-9 at the close when a much bigger total beckoned.

Such came to the rescue by ending the dogged resistance of Jack Russell, whose 16 runs spanned 88 balls, and then removing Michael Ball and Jonathan Lewis with successive deliveries as the visitors stumbled from 258-6.

Those successes left Such with figures of 4-54 from 28 overs, having earlier got rid of Matt Windows with the help of Stephen Peters at short leg.

Essex, who went in to the match just four points behind leaders Northamptonshire in the Second Division table, will have been lifted by Such's late flurry of wickets - but they still face an enormous task if they are to achieve victory.

There is the nagging suspicion that Gloucestershire's total might yet take on a much more formidable appearance if, as often happens at the Colchester venue, the pitch offers generous help to the spinners as the match progresses.

The fact that Essex recalled Tim Mason to form a three-pronged spin attack alongside Such and Paul Grayson, is a clear indication that batsmen will find it increasingly difficult.

Certainly Ronnie Irani must have been bitterly disappointed at losing the toss.

Run gathering is usually easier on the first day and the Essex captain must have feared the worst as his opponents moved into the 80s for only the loss of Dominic Hewson.

But the failure of Gloucestershire's recognised batsmen to build upon solid foundations earned Irani and his players a reprieve.

Five of the top six in the order passed 20 but no one managed to reach 50.

Tim Hancock and Mark Alleyne were the nearest to doing so, each falling seven runs short.

Hancock gave his wicket away by slashing Irani into the hands of Graham Napier at cover point, while Alleyne was bowled by Ashley Cowan after collectin eight boundaries.

Others to miss out when well set were Windows for 25, Kim Barnett for 24 as a diving Grayson held onto a magnificent catch in the gully, and Chris Taylor who was caught from a top-edged sweep to provide Mason with his solitary success. He made 35 from 57 balls.

All of them were dismissed at a time when Gloucestershire were poised to seize the initiative and it was the same story later in the day.

Russell and Jeremy Snape were looking ominously secure as the end of the day approached - but Such then nipped in for his three wickets, each of them claimed as the batsmen pushed nervously forward.

Russell and Lewis prodded into the predatory hands of Danny Law and Peters, while Ball could only look on in anguish as an inside edge spun back into his stumps.

Late surge - Peter Such

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