Woakes strikes

RAIN STOPPED PLAY. Essex 17 for 1 (8.3 overs). Chopra 6, Flower 0.

Woakes has one for one in four overs. He has bowled some excellent away-cutters, just a little too far outside off-stump on occasions but he got one spot on to Gallian who edged and Westwood took a fine, low catch at third slip.

Rankin came on for the ninth over and his third ball was a cracker which lifted past Flower's outside edge. Before he could bowl his fourth ball, however, rain forced the players off.