ESSEX were shot out for a modest 179 on the opening day of their two-day friendly against Worcestershire, who had reached 30-1 in reply by the close.

Grant Flower showed his resilience scoring a watchful 36 in an innings spanning two hours and 18 minutes and 111 deliveries before he drove at a ball from medium-pacer Gareth Andrew and was bowled.

He had shared in the highest stand of the innings with captain Mark Pettini adding 52 for the fourth wicket but it's pace was woefully slow for the small group of spectators.

Each of the two days against Worcestershire consists of a minimum of 96 overs and the home side found themselves dismissed in 75 overs.

Flower and Pettini managed only 12 runs in the first ten overs in the post-lunch session, with the latter taking 49 balls to move into double figures, and the first hour of play in the afternoon realised 26 just runs - and that included four byes.

Flower hit six boundaries including a delightful cover drive off the bowling of Mehraj Ahmed, one rare moment in the day for the crowd to savour, although at least both batsmen could claim to have enjoyed valuable time at the crease having begun their liaison with their side 44-3 wickets.

Having occupied 29 vigilant overs, both fell in rapid succession with Pettini stepping out of his ground to give Batty a wicket before Flower, having just brought the total to 100 with a cut for four, joined him back in the pavilion five balls later.

Ryan ten Doeschate scored 23 runs from 34 deliveries before Andrew found the edge of his bat as he went on the drive.

The score crawled along by another 15 runs taking 11 overs and the loss of James Middle-brook and Graham Napier to Kabir Ali, who moved the ball away from Middlebrook to give wicket-keeper Steven Davies his third victim. The same bowler accounted for Napier for a duck but all-rounder Alex Roberts finished on 9 not out.

Worcestershire began their innings with 19 overs remaining and lost Stephen Moore for a single to Tony Palladino. The opener nibbled outside off stump to be pouched by Gallian at first slip before bad light ended play after 10 overs.