PHIL Jaques thrashed the Essex attack for a career-best 244 as Worcestershire built up a superb total of 459-5 on the opening day of their Liverpool Victoria County Championship duel at Chelmsford.

The 27-year-old Australian dominated the bowling with embarrassing ease as he struck 30 fours and four sixes to lift his championship aggregate to 659 in his fifth match of the campaign.

His runs in the division two clash came from 274 balls and 106 of them were struck between lunch and tea.

Jaques, who was finally caught behind off the persevering Darren Gough, quickly seized on anything short or wide -- and the Essex bowers afforded him plenty of opportunities to prove the point.

In one over from Ryan ten Doeschate he drove and pulled five boundaries, punishment which saw the medium pacer quickly removed from the attack.

But long before then Essex skipper Ronnie Irani was no doubt ruing his decision to ask his opponents to bat on winning the toss.

Although Gough made a couple of deliveries lift early on, Jaques and Stephen Moore made easy progress in an opening stand of 122 in 30 overs.

They were so much in control that it came as a surprise when in attempting a forcing stroke off the back foot, Moore presented wicketkeeper James Foster with an easy catch to give left-arm spinner Tim Phillips success.

Moore's share of the partnership was 62, an innings which spanned 91 deliveries and included 10 boundaries.

Phillips also picked up the second wicket, that of Vikram Solanki, as he held onto a sharp return catch to his left before Ben Smith arrived to help Jaques put together another century stand.

It yielded 146 in 29 overs, Smith contributing 50 before he fell to the agility of Foster, who pulled off a fine diving catch to provide Andre Adams with his solitary success.

The arrival of the new ball finally accounted for Jaques when Gough, easily the pick of the Essex attack, had him caught behind.

Gough (2-63) struck again in his next over by bowling Graeme Hick for 37 with a delivery which kept low.

But unquestionably it was Worcestershire's day and all the signs are the home side will face a total of around 600 when they bat.