A 142-run fifth-wicket stand between the century-making Tom Westley and Paul Walter rescued Essex after Notts were rewarded for their discipline in a weather-interrupted Vitality County Championship match.

Westley’s unbeaten 108 from 214 balls, combined with Walter's 72, held together an Essex innings that was in danger of imminent collapse at 86-4 when the pair came together. 

Pace bowler Rob Lord, 23, in only his second Championship game, looked lively and claimed two of the first four Essex wickets to fall. He finished the day with figures of 2-53 from 15 overs, while Farhan Ahmed, Lyndon James and Luke Fletcher claimed one apiece. 

 On a predominantly overcast and damp day, foreshortened by 22 overs, Nottinghamshire elected to put Essex in as the sought to follow up on a battling draw against Surrey last week.

When play started 70 minutes late because of light drizzle that fell immediately after the 10am toss, Essex lost Dean Elgar cheaply when he dragged Lord to mid-on where Hasseb Hameed ran round to take the catch sliding on his knees.

Fellow opener Robin Das fell shortly after the break when he got a thick edge to one from James and was snaffled smartly by Freddie McCann at second slip for 20.

Fletcher bowled unchanged for 13 overs either side of lunch, having Westley in some discomfort – notably with one that smacked into the Essex captain’s box – on a green-tinged wicket initially helping the seamers. He was finally rewarded when Matt Critchley left alone a delivery that jagged back, and Benkenstein departed soonafter, nicking Lord through to Kyle Verreynne. 

The scoring improved as the conditions eased and Westley and Walter put on the first fifty of their partnership in just six overs. Westley’s own half-century took 79 balls and included five fours. Walter also played his way in carefully before whipping James off his legs for a first boundary.

The pair were finally parted after 42 overs when Walter miscued his slog-sweep off Ahmed to point, but Westley remained unbeaten to reach his century, with overthrows, from 193 balls.