ENGLAND opener Alastair Cook was dismissed by international team-mate Chris Tremlett as both men impressed on day one of Surrey’s LV= County Championship tussle with Essex in Croydon.

Half-centuries from Cook, youngster Adam Wheater and veteran Matthew Walker helped Essex gain the upper hand, as they reached 318 for six at stumps, with both teams seeking their second wins of the season.

Cook made a handy 63, Wheater contributed 64 and Walker top-scored with 76.

The three Essex top-order players were the only ones to master a Whitgift School pitch which offered bounce and occasional seam movement to a Surrey attack that bowled first after home skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown had won the toss.

With the England selectors due to name their squad on Sunday for the first Test against Sri Lanka, the early attention focused on the form of Essex opener Alastair Cook and the fitness of Surrey’s Tremlett.

Neither man disappointed, although Tremlett, as well as taking two wickets, went for four runs an over.

Tremlett, extracting lavish bounce from the Chapel End, struck in his third over by pegging back Jaik Mickleburgh’s off stump with a delivery that nipped back off the seam.

Having been dropped behind when on five by Steven Davies, Mark Pettini failed to cash in when Stuart Meaker had the former Essex skipper caught at second slip by Hamilton-Brown to make it 88 for two.

Having stroked eight fours in his 117-ball innings, it took a good ball from Tremlett to finally dislodge Cook. Leaden-footed in defence to a ball that jagged back off the seam, Cook got an inside edge through to Davies.

That brought together pugnacious left-hander Walker and the wiry Wheater for an enthralling fourth-wicket stand that added 131 in 31.2 overs either side of the tea break.

Wheater, in only his third championship appearance, reached his maiden first-class fifty from 71 balls.

The stand ended after tea when Wheater gifted a flat-bat catch to mid-on. Soon after that wicket, Walker aimed to drive a near-yorker from former Kent team-mate Yasir Arafat, only to drag it on to off stump.

James Foster (30) went leg before to a Meaker full toss, but Tim Phillips and Graham Napier, in his first championship start for 11 months, survived to fight another day.