Any empty glasses?

Essex 27 for 0 (13 overs). Mickleburgh 12, Pettini 14.

There's much head-scratching as to why a wicket fell about every five overs in the two first innings. The pitch looks good to bat on so far in the third.

Carter and Woakes for once failed to strike early. Clarke and Rankin on.

The raffle prize, an autographed Southend United FC shirt has just been won by ticket number 7, a number which suggests there was not exactly a stampede for tickets.