Will Jefferson continued his love affair with Nottinghamshire with another magnificent century as Essex piled on 357 for six on the opening day of the Championship clash at Trent Bridge.

His 167 followed an innings of 126 when the counties met on the same ground in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy earlier this season, while two years ago he plundered an unbeaten 165 at Chelmsford to carry Essex to the second division title.

It was Notts who claimed the division two title yesterday as they gathered the solitary point needed to lift the crown.

But it was Jefferson who emerged with the day's individual honours as he assumed control from the moment he found the cover boundary in Greg Smith's opening over.

The tall left-hander drove with power and authority on both sides of the wicket as he completed his fifth century of the summer with the aid of 17 boundaries.

Jefferson collected 28 fours from 252 balls and it was only when Notts turned to occasional bowler Darren Bicknell that the opener's innings was ended.

The slow left-armer was the seventh of eight bowlers called upon by Notts, and in his first over turned a deliver out of the rough to breech the batsman's defences as he tried to find a gap in the direction of mid-on.

Andy Flower was the only other batsman to play with any real assurance while helping Jefferson add 132 in 36 overs for the second wicket.

The Zimbabwean left-hander completed a 92-ball half-century with eight fours, but was caught behind soon afterwards off a wide Smith delivery which he did well to reach.

Young opener Alistair Cook made only seven before he was also caught behind by Chris Read off Ryan Sidebottom.

And skipper Ronnie Irani had reached 16 when he departed lbw to Paul Franks, a dismissal which brought Notts the point they required and heralded the arrival of Ravinder Bopara.

He helped add 81 for the fourth wicket, of which his share was 34. Included in his contribution was a magnificent hook for six at Sidebottom's expense, before Mark Ealham was introduced and quickly trapped him lbw.

The same fate befell James Foster for 23, this time Smith being the successful bowler, before Bicknell struck to claim only the 27th wicket of a career which started in 1987.

Soon after Jefferson's dismissal, bad light cut the day's proceedings by eight overs just when James Middlebrook and Graham Napier were starting to step up a gear.

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