ESSEX closed the opening day of their County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Chelmsford on 66 without loss after the visitors, who won the toss, had been bowled out for 275 with Graham Napier taking 4-50.

The visitors’ total owed much to the efforts of Marcus North who scored 98 in a display of high-quality strokeplay particularly in front of the wicket.

The Melbourne-born left-hander dominated the Essex attack, playing effortlessly as he picked off the loose deliveries with casual and classic timing.

He received diligent support from two sources, firstly from Alex Gidman who contributed 31 in a fourth-wicket stand worth 79 until he was bowled by Napier attempting to play to mid-on.

Then Chris Taylor hung around for an hour as 63 runs were posted until he fell to Danish Kaneria for 16 while attempting to work the ball into the leg side.

But North continued to present an imposing presence at the crease and was within sight of his first championship century of the season when, having faced 125 deliveries and struck 16 boundaries, he paddle-swept a ball from Kaneria and was caught by David Masters at short fine leg.

Whilst he was in occupation in the middle, North had overseen the addition of 194 runs having seen the score improve from 27-2 onto 221-6 when he was removed.

Napier had struck the first blow of the morning when he trapped Kadeer Ali leg before for five as the batsman played around a delivery, and then Masters struck twice in four overs, removing William Porterfield and Hamish Marshall who both scored 12 and were also caught by James Foster.

Steve Snell came into this game as the visitors’ heaviest run-getter in the competition this season with 534 runs to his name, but his attempt to sweep James Middle-brook failed dismally with the batsman bowled for 21 before the off-spinner had Vikram Banerjee snapped up by Ravi Bopara at bat pad for a duck.

But Essex hopes of rapid conclusion to the innings were frustrated by Mark Hardinges.

The 30-year-old, who has been told that he will not be retained by Gloucestershire next season, would rate Chelmsford amongst his preferred future options having recorded his highest first-class score of 107 not out at the venue in 2006.

This time he struck the only six of the innings plus five other boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 40 before Napier returned to polish off the last two wickets when Jon Lewis lifted a delivery behind to give Foster a third catch, while Steve Kirby pushed forward and lost his off stump.

That left the home side with 26 overs to face in the day and Jason Gallian and Varun Chopra batted steadily, although both saw edges off Lewis fall short of slip.

Gallian was 23 not out and Chopra just seven runs short of his half-century at the close as the home side concluded the day shading the honours on a pitch that is likely to offer increased assistance for the spinners as the match progresses.