Alleyne shines in cavalier display

On a well-behaved wicket that rarely allowed a delivery to rise to rib height, a succession of Gloucestershire batsmen strolled in, pushed the ball around a bit and walked off.

On a well-behaved wicket that rarely allowed a delivery to rise to rib height, a succession of Gloucestershire batsmen strolled in, pushed the ball around a bit and walked off.

The cameo approach to batsmanship may serve them well in the one-day game at which they excel, but on the first day of a Championship match their application seemed wanting.

Gloucestershire, although fresh from a win over Glamorgan, are pegged to the bottom of the Second Division. A couple more victories however, could even have them challenging for promotion, such is the jostling among the also-rans. There could hardly be a better justification for the two-division system.

The visitors are almost at full strength for this game. Of the first-team regulars Mike Smith is nursing a muscle strain and Ian Harvey is briefly back in Australia, helping to launch indoor international cricket.

Essex are shadowing Northamptonshire for top spot in the division, and are missing Mark Ilott (hamstring) and Darren Robinson (broken finger) as well as long-term absentee Ricky Anderson and, of course, Nasser Hussain. Although Ronnie Irani is a less-busy Essex captain than Hussain was, he led from the front yesterday by nipping out the first two wickets. Gloucestershire then assisted the Essex cause with some lazy shots but they managed to potter on into the evening. Each stand prospered for a while, and spluttered out.

The visiting batsman who most threatened to post a proper score was the captain, Mark Alleyne. He has a refreshing, uncomplicated style, unfazed when penned in by a maiden, but always ready to unfurl a brutal jab if given width or a half-volley. Too soon, though, he chopped a delivery from Ashley Cowan on to his stumps.

Jack Russell is also uncomplicated in that he has never bothered with the coaching manual. He can be mightily effective, but yesterday's subdued effort was brief, as befitted the proceedings.