Lunch report Worcestershire 132-1 (32 overs) Worcestershire openers Daryl Mitchell and Matt Pardoe gave their side a fine start with a century partnership on the opening day of the LV = County Championship match with Essex at New Road.
Mitchell opted to bat on winning the toss and he and Pardoe brought up the 100 stand in only 23 overs.
Worcestershire skipper Mitchell, who had scored two hundreds in the previous Championship game against Glamorgan, continued his good form in reaching 79 out of 132-1 off 32 overs.
Worcestershire made two changes – both of them enforced – from the side which drew with Glamorgan in the last four-day encounter at the Swalec Stadium.
Loan signing Alex Hales, signed as cover for England's Moeen Ali, has returned to Nottinghamshire and he was replaced by Tom Fell.
The county's leading wicket-taker, Gareth Andrew, was ruled out with a back injury and made way for all-rounder Joe Leach who has impressed in the Secnd Eleven which he has skippered this season.
Both Fell and Leach were both making their first championship appearances of the season after playing in the three-day friendly against Cambridge University last week.
The home side were given a flying start with a flurry of boundaries against the new ball attack of Oliver Newby and Matt Salisbury who was making his championship debut.
Mitchell cover-drive Newby for four and Pardoe picked up two boundaries in the same area off Salisbury.
The first five overs of the morning yielded 31 runs before Graham Napier was introduced to the attack.
The runs continued to flow at a rapid rate and an edge to the third man boundary by Pardoe off Napier brought up the 50 in the 10th over.
Spin was brought into play via Monty Panesar after 13 overs from the New Road end.
Mitchell brought up his 50 – off 66 balls with 10 fours – out of 77-0 with a clip for three through mid-wicket off Newby.
Pardoe was also showing aggressive intent and he drove and pulled Panesar for boundaries in the same over.
The century stand arrived in the 23rd over with a single by Pardoe off spinner Greg Smith during his first over in the attack.
Mitchell and Pardoe extended their partnership to 117 in 27 overs before the latter on 45 was adjudged lbw to Smith.
