The opening day of Essex's match at King's School, Gloucester, provided fluctuating fortunes for Essex who gave first County Championship appearances to 22-year-old pace bowler Ricky Anderson and former Northants player Tim Walton, 26.
Ronnie Irani won the toss and elected to bat, but then saw his side slump to 26-4 within the first 11 overs of the game.
The hapless Darren Robinson was the first victim of the morning, being trapped leg before wicket on the front foot by Jon Lewis in the second over of the day without a run on the board.
Newcomer Walton, having got off the mark with a single from an overthrow when Kim Barnett shied at the wicket as the batsman strayed out of his ground, survived a further alarm when Mark Alleyne spilled a catch at second slip.
He did not last much longer, caught at silly mid-on with his score on two when he pushed forward to a lifting delivery from Mike Smith to leave Essex 7-2 in the seventh over.
Stuart Law, having opened his account with a boundary, was also dismissed leg before. Then Irani became Smith's third victim when he was adjudged out reaching well forward.
Irani had failed to score and the batsman's long look of disbelief towards umpire Neil Mallender indicated his dismay at both the decision and perhaps his own performance.
At 27-4 Essex were in disarray, but thanks to Paul Prichard and Paul Grayson they gradually emerged from their sad state, forcing Smith out of the attack with figures of 8-4-14-3.
The two batsmen capitalised on a number of half volleys and long hops as they put together a fifth wicket partnership of 108.
Both reached 50s, Prichard's from 92 deliveries including eight boundaries and Grayson's from 87 balls with 10 fours.
Having negotiated the morning session, both were out within 50 minutes of the resumption as they looked to force the pace on a slow wicket.
Prichard made 61 and Grayson 62 and had both given the Essex score some semblance of respectability.
Wicket-keeper Barry Hyam played with an admirable straight bat as Essex continued to gather runs, particularly down to the vacant areas behind the wicket.
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