COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Chelmsford
Essex v Middlesex
6-9 June (Play starts 1100 BST)
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Middlesex 274 Essex 54-4 (Essex 3pts, Middlesex 3pts)

Kartik hit three sixes and two fours in his 72-ball innings

Murali Kartik hit an unbeaten 62 to rescue Middlesex and help put them in charge after day one of their County Championship match against Essex.

The Indian spinner came to the crease at Chelmsford with his side on 139-7 as David Masters (5-65) and Chris Wright (4-71) impressed with the ball.

And he added 99 with Gareth Berg (56) as Middlesex were all out for 274.

Kartik then took the wicket of Alastair Cook (35) as Essex were reduced to 54-4 at stumps, Steven Finn taking 3-21.

Things looked to be going smoothly for Middlesex as they recovered from the early loss of England Test captain Andrew Strauss to Wright to reach 102-2 at lunch.

But they lost five wickets for 22 runs to plunge deep into trouble before Berg and Kartik rescued them.

Their partnership spanned 20 overs and saw Berg, who was eventually bowled by Masters, make his maiden first-class half-century.

606: DEBATE How do you think the match is going?

Middlesex were still short of a second batting point when Berg was dismissed but Chris Silverwood and Finn helped Kartik, who hit three sixes off Danish Kaneria, get them past the 250 mark.

Essex reached 34-0 in reply before they hit trouble as Finn removed Jason Gallian and Varun Chopra in successive deliveries, both caught at slip.

Strauss then pulled off a magnificent one-handed catch at first slip off Kartik to dismiss Cook in the left-arm spinner's first over.

And there was still time for Finn to claim a third wicket when Matthew Walker edged behind to wicketkeeper David Nash.

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