Worcestershire made a cautious start after winning the toss and electing to bat in their Frizzell County Championship clash with Essex at New Road today.

Stephen Peters and Anurag Singh launched the innings against the pace threat of Ashley Cowan and Joseph Grant.

Peters, who moved to the County from Essex during the close season, began by playing out a maiden to Cowan who was operating from the New Road end.

Singh opened his account by driving Grant through the covers for two. Peters, with 317 championship runs in five innings, got off the mark by turning Cowan for a single. He followed with two fours off Cowan as Worcestershire moved into double figures, and they then began to open out to take the total to 28-0 off six overs.

The County were unchanged from the side which lost by 110 runs at home to Glamorgan.

Worcs: Peters, Singh, Hick, Smith, Solanki, Leatherdale, Batty, Bichel, Rhodes, Kabir Ali, Sheriyar.

Essex: Grayson, Robinson, Clinton, Habib, Flower, Irani, Stephenson, Dakin, Middlebrook, Cowan, Grant.

Umpires: K.E. Palmer, J.F. Steele.