CRICKETMichael Powell's second Liverpool Victoria County Championship century in four days provided the backbone to Glamorgan's innings on the opening day of their battle against promotion contenders Essex at Chelmsford.

CRICKET

Michael Powell's second Liverpool Victoria County Championship century in four days provided the backbone to Glamorgan's innings on the opening day of their battle against promotion contenders Essex at Chelmsford.

Thanks largely to his unbeaten 157 the Welsh county emerged from their day's labours on a healthy 312 for five.

Powell's efforts were a mixture of bold aggression and caution. He reached his half-century from 56 balls with 11 fours, but gathered only five singles from the next 44 deliveries he received.

He then broke loose again to move into three figures with his 18th four, a landmark reached from 154 balls.

Powell had arrived to do battle after Australian fast bowler Andy Bichel had removed openers Ryan Watkins and Brendon McCullum in his opening three overs.

Both were architects of their own downfall, caught behind by James Foster while cutting at wide deliveries.

Powell's response was to repair the damage with a series of fluent drives, many of them being unleashed during a fourth-wicket stand of 137 in 45 overs with Richard Grant.

Grant's share was 44 before he played on against Alex Tudor and he was quickly followed back to the pavilion by James Franklin as Andy Flower held on to a magnificent slip catch.

It was certainly a more difficult chance than the one with which Darren Gough reprieved Powell in the afternoon session.

Powell had moved to 76 when he drove low and hard to mid-off - but Gough failed to accept the ankle high opportunity.

The right-hander was to give no other chance as he went on to dominate the day's proceedings.

He has so far gathered 23 fours and defied the efforts of six bowlers to remove him.

He will resume with Mark Wallace as his partner, the left-hander having provided fine support while collecting 47 in a stand which has so far yielded 104 runs and carried the Welsh county to a third batting point.

This was the third time in Powell's career that he has passed 150 in the Championship and now he has his sights set on a career best in the four-day game - the 198 he took off the Durham attack at Chester-le-Street three years ago.