Alex Blake made an unbeaten 89 – his highest First Class score since 2011 – on a tough first day for Kent against Essex at Chelmsford.

Blake’s 89 not out was the only knock of substance in the Kent innings as they struggled to 207 all out before tea on day one. Kagiso Rabada, making his first County Championship appearance, did pick up two wickets in the final session, including that of England captain Alastair Cook in the last over of the day; a day that the hosts ended on 107/2, exactly 100 runs behind with eight first innings wickets in hand.

With a toss taking place at Chelmsford, home captain Ryan ten Doeschate won it, and asked Kent to bat first, presumably what they were looking to do, given the fact that Sam Northeast did not take up the option to field without the toss taking place.

The Spitfires XI saw a number of familiar faces unavailable. Tom Latham missed out, with only one overseas player able to feature in County Championship matches, and Rabada selected, while his fellow opener Daniel Bell-Drummond missed out, as he has the last few games, with a hand injury.

Matt Coles remains unavailable for selection, while wicket-keeper Callum Jackson made his senior Kent debut with Sam Billings away on international duty with England, and Adam Rouse injured. Calum Haggett also remains out through injury.

On a green-tinged pitch, the going was immediately tough for new-look Kent opening partnership Fabian Cowdrey and Sean Dickson. Cowdrey was the first to go as Kent lost five wickets in the first session, bowled by Graham Napier for 3.

Joe Denly, in at three, made 5 before edging a wide delivery from Ravi Bopara to keeper James Foster, and he was followed back to the pavilion in the next over by Sean Dickson, caught behind off of the bowling of Jamie Porter for 18.

Skipper Northeast made 5 before he became the fourth man out, at which stage Blake made his entrance to the crease, alongside Darren Stevens, with the visitors 48/4. Stevens had made 19 before he became Bopara’s second victim, with Kent struggling to the lunch interval at 88/5.

Adam Ball fought hard alongside Blake as the pair looked to rebuild, and had faced 34 balls for his four runs before he was caught in the gully to become Porter’s second victim.

Debutant Jackson was Blake’s next partner, and the pair battled hard, putting on the only 50 partnership of the Kent innings. Blake had already passed fifty – his first of the Championship season – when Jackson fell for 19 in only his second First Class appearance, lbw to ten Doeschate.

Blake eventually ran out of partners on his way to an unbeaten 89, with none of James Tredwell (4), Rabada (14) or Claydon (6) able to hang around long enough for him to reach three figures. Kent’s 207 all out was an under-par total, with the Essex attack making the most of the green-tinged wicket. At the toss, Northeast would have hoped that had his side been able to see out the early overs, they would have the opportunity to make hay in the afternoon, but it was not to be.

The Essex opening pair of Nick Browne and England skipper Cook began the home side’s reply in steady fashion, seeing themselves in before pushing on and adding 84 for the first wicket in the evening session.

Both would fall to Rabada before the close, though.

Browne was the first to go, caught by Sam Northeast as he swatted at a shorter delivery from the South African star, before Rabada ended a fascinating battle with Cook by trapping him plum lbw for 49 in the final over of the day.

With Essex exactly 100 behind Kent going into day two, early wickets will be the order of the day for the visitors, who will hope Rabada can continue his fine form in this top-of-the-table Division Two clash.

Speaking to journalist Martin Smith at the close, Blake said: “It was a little frustrating not to get to three figures, but I felt pretty good and to be not out. We’re under-par with 200 all out, and we need to bowl well to stay in the game.

“There was a lot of talk beforehand about the toss. Sam [Northeast] was a bit undecided and a few people had their say. Because there was so much indecision we decided to have a bat. It really misbehaved all day and that was the worry because it was a used pitch – they used it against Northants. We had more of an eye on the back-end of the game and how it performs in the fourth innings. They made the most of it.

 

Specsavers County Championship Division Two, Essex v Kent at Chelmsford, July 3-6 2016

Stumps, day one: 

Essex 107/2 (Cook 49; Rabada 2-28) trail Kent 207 (Blake 89 not out; Porter 3-51) by 100 runs with eight first innings wickets in hand.

Essex: Browne, Cook, Westley, Bopara, Mickleburgh, Lawrence, ten Doeschate*, Foster†, Napier, Quinn, Porter

Kent: Cowdrey, Dickson, Denly, Northeast*, Stevens, Blake, Ball, Jackson†, Tredwell, Rabada, Claydon

Essex won the toss and elected to field.

 

Full scorecard available here.