LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP, DIVISION TWO, Chelmsford:
Close, day three: Kent 247 & 238, Essex 201 & 198-6
Essex 4pts, Kent 4pts
Match scorecard

Reece Topley took a five-wicket haul on his Championship debut as Essex ended day three needing 87 more to beat Kent, with just four wickets intact.

After Kent resumed on 146-3, Topley, 17, took 5-46 to dismiss the visitors for 238 in their second innings, Martin van Jaarsveld making 63.

That left Essex needing 285 to win and they closed on 198-6, of which opener Billy Godleman made 58.

Darren Stevens, who had a six-wicket haul in the first innings, took 3-62.

BBC Sport's Kevin Howells:
"Very entertaining again. Nobody would want to call it from here. The pattern has throughout been whatever you expect, the opposite will happen.

"As much as anything, Kent off-spinner James Tredwell thinks stopping runs first thing will be the key.

"Only 19 overs till the second new ball and, if they've made it tough until that point, they stand a good chance.

"But they won't have to many runs to play with. If Essex get up around 230 without losing any more wickets they would be within touching distance and backing themselves.

"That said, one of the not out pair of Foster and Phillips will need to be there at the end.

"Stevens deserves to finish off with 10 wickets. He's managed to keep them in the game with his nine so far."

BBC Radio Essex's Dick Davies:
"The future of the Essex seam attack seems to be in good hands with a superb five-wicket haul for 17-year-old Reece Topley on his Championship debut, and another excellent bowling spell from 22-year-old Maurice Chambers.

"With Lonwabo Tsotsobe to arrive later this week and the dependable David Masters bowling as well as ever, the only problems with the pace bowling would seem to be an embarrassment of riches.

"Billy Godleman showed what he's undoubtedly capable of with a very agreeable 58, while Ravi Bopara knuckled down with a workmanlike innings of 39 which, hopefully, will pave the way for an Essex victory."

BBC Radio Kent's Matt Cole:
"Another day of fascinating ebb and flow on a wicket where no batsman has looked entirely comfortable.

"Martin van Jaarsveld dug in, but there was a suspicion that a few too many batters lost concentration in the face of some accurate bowling.

"You felt if Kent had set Essex 300-plus, it would have given the bowlers a huge psychological advantage on a lively track.

"But frankly, every time I'm about to write off Kent's chances in this match they take a wicket, or rather new strike-bowler Darren Stevens does."

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