County Championship: Essex in a strong position against Kent on day one

LV= County Championship Division One, The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury (day one):Essex 327-4: Critchley 80*, Cook 78, Westley 54Kent: Still at bat Kent 1 pt, Essex 3 ptsScoreboard

Critchley cashed in after being dropped on six after Alastair Cook made 78 and Tom Westley 54 .

Grant Stewart had Kent's most economical numbers at 1-48, but the bowlers struggled struggling to make inroads into a game that could be crucial to their hopes of avoiding relegation.

The contest had seemed even when Essex were down to 221-4, but Critchley's unbroken 106 partnership with Feroze Khushi, who was unbeaten on 46 at so uches, tipped the balance in favor of visitors.

Kent opted to bowl after winning the toss but struggled to create chances despite heavy cloud cover at the Spitfire Ground.

Essex was 82 unbeaten at lunchtime and enjoyed an early afternoon break when Cook was put down after edging out Stewart at 44.

101's opening stand ended when Matt Quinn took a fast return to knock out Nick Browne for 45, but Cook and Westley put in 58 for the second wicket before the former edged Stewart against Ollie Robinson at the first slip.yorked by Daniel Bell-Drummond but Jack Leaning was then denied a wicket when Critchley was dropped by Ben Compton at short notice, leaving Essex 207-3 at tea.

Westley was executed shortly after the resumed, after Critchley had steered Harry Podmore to third.After strolling around comfortably at two, Westley inexplicably went for the wicketkeeper's end and missed him it a few centimeters when Sam Billings recovered Joe Denly's throw and broke the wicket.