Silken orb

Essex 106 for 2 (38 overs). Frost 44, Trott 8.

Poonia, I would imagine, is furious with himself. After 19 overs of diligent toil for 37 runs he flicked a quite ordinary delivery from Middlebrook straight into the mitts of Bopara at mid-wicket. In 13 championship innings this season Poonia has reached 50 just once. He has been out in the 20s or 30s six times.

Frost and Trott are getting their heads down. Frost has just struck an elegant three to mid-on off the bowling of CJC Wright.

The Bears are inching towards promotion against an Essex attack missing the mainstay of their bowling - Danish Kaneria who has seven fit fingers but one broken one.