Worcestershire captain Brett D'Oliveira heroics keep Pears in game

Battling against the exceptional bowling of Jamie Porter at Chelmsford, D'Oliveira came to the rescue as he continued his form from the championship win over Kent, where he scored a rousing 97.

D'Oliveira delivered an imperative 68 runs, and was a catalyst in raising the total to 192 before he was finally dismissed.

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The captain humbly also recognised the key contributions from Ethan Brookes (46) and Tom Taylor (62), his partners in 72 and 59-run partnerships respectively.

Taylor, following on from a dazzling display at Visit Worcestershire New Road against Kent last week, showcased more of his all-round capabilities, achieving his first County Championship half-century for Worcestershire.

The final burst came from loanee Amar Virdi (42) on his Pears debut, who added an impressive last wicket stand of 64 to the tally with Taylor.

In a show of team spirit and resilience under pressure, Worcestershire clawed their way to a commendable 266 all out in 75 overs.

Fans cheered at the securing of a well-earned batting bonus point.

Taylor then made a swift switch from batting to bowling, claiming the wicket of Dean Elgar (29) with an lbw in the final over.

The day came to a close with Essex’s score at 50-1 from 18.3 overs.

Ethan Brookes, who contributed a vital 46 runs, praised the team's efforts, saying: "When you are 10-4 and end up with nearly 270, it’s a fantastic fightback by the boys.

"Real credit to everyone for chipping in at the end.

“I guess it’s about not trying to look to far ahead in the game, trying to fightback, being nice and positive still in your body language and your shots."

Looking ahead to what will likely be a tough contest ahead, Brookes said: "Fantastic for us to see the back of Dean Elgar.

"Everyone knows how good he is as a player, so fantastic for Tom to get him."