Jon Dakin made a decisive contribution with both bat and ball to leave Essex with high hopes of opening their Championship campaign against Middlesex at Chelmsford with victory.

First he struck an explosive 52 to carry the county to a total of 402 and maximum bonus points, and he followed it up with the important wicket of Sven Koenig after the visitors had gone in again 188 adrift.

Dakin removed the opener for 94 in the same over in which the arrears were cleared to deny the left hander his third century against the county in 12 months. Middlesex go into the final day on 251-4 and a lead of just 63.

Dakin picked up four wickets on the opening day and Essex can only hope he continues to make the most of his undoubted talent, especially as Ashley Cowan is ruled out for the summer following major knee surgery in the winter.

The day started disastrously for Essex after they had resumed on 356-7. Dakin could only look on in disbelief as he lost two partners in Chad Keegan's opening over.

James Foster's lack of judgement saw him bowled shouldering arms to the second ball and three deliveries later Scott Brant was trapped leg before.

Dakin threw caution to the wind as he advanced from his overnight ten to his half-century in 17 balls. Four of those he despatched for six, three against Keegan and a top edge at the expense of Abdur Razzaq. He finally departed driving Razzaq to long on but was soon back in action with the new ball -- not that he met with early success.

Koenig and Andy Strauss launched the Middlesex second innings with an opening stand of 65. It was broken by off-spinner James Middlebrook, who gained just reward for intelligent variation of flight and pace to get rid of Strauss lbw as he missed an intended drive.

That breakthrough arrived in the 16th over and Essex toiled away for another 44, during which skipper Ronnie Irani used six bowlers, for something else to celebrate.

The second success came when Owais Shah, having contributed 46 in a stand of 109, flicked left-arm spinner Paul Grayson off his hips to Aftab Habib at short fine leg.

Then came Dakin's removal of Koenig as he tempted the batsman into a loose drive and found the edge for Foster to complete a waist-high catch.

Grayson then picked up his second wicket of the innings, that of Davis Nash, who prodded to Darren Robinson at silly mid on.

Published Monday, April 21, 2003

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