Essex did well to restrict Lancashire to a total of 298-8 on the opening day of their county championship match at Old Trafford after the home side had been 222-2 at one stage.

Essex were indebted to Peter Such, who finished with six for 136, his best figures since his five for 81 for England in the final test on the winter Ashes Tour.

On a wicket that offered turn from the start, the Lancashire total may yet prove to be a challenging score for Essex, who will have controversial Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan to deal with.

Maldon-born John Crawley won the toss for the hosts and elected to bat against opponents who included Stephen Peters for Nasser Hussain and who were led by Ronnie Irani returning to his former hunting ground.

The game was just 12 overs old when the Lancashire exile turned to an all spin attack which subsequently accounted for 68 of the 104 overs bowled in the day.

Crawley and Mark Chilton batted throughout the morning for a 100 stand, with Chilton the first to 50.

After lunch Such switched to the Stetford end and claimed the first of his wickets. Crawley had just posted his half century, gathered in more watchful manner from 123 balls with eight fours, before his attempted cut induced a faint edge to the wicketkeeper.

Then Chilton pushed forward at Such to give Barry Hyam a second victim. However, Andrew Flintoff, who took 141 off Essex in a national league game earlier this season, raced to a 43-ball half-century, hitting four huge sixes off Such.

When the offspinner returned, Flintoff welcomed him with 14 runs from one over.

Ricky Anderson, having been introduced for his first bowl in the 63rd over to allow Such to switch back to the Warwick Road end, dismissed Flintoff with the score on 222, via Stuart Law's brilliant catch.

The home side lost two wickets quickly after tea, Neil Fairbrother misreading Such's line to be adjudged lbw and Mike Watkinson beaten by Turn.

Graham Lloyd and Warren Hegg put on 42 for the sixth wicket, overcoming a number of bowling changes before Anderson, having rejoined the attack, bowled Lloyd with his secondary ball as the batsman attempted to pull.

Ian Austin became Such's fifth victim bowled leg stump when beaten by the flight but Hegg batted well for 43 before he gloved an intended sweep off Such to the keeper in the day's last over.

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