Bopara hits second century

Ravi Bopara is in great touch already © Getty Images

England all-rounder Ravi Bopara continued his impressive start to the season with a superb century to rescue Essex at Derby.

Bopara hit his second LV County Championship hundred in consecutive Division Two matches after Derbyshire had reduced the visitors to 76 for five with England opener Alastair Cook falling cheaply on his first appearance of the campaign.

The 22-year-old strengthened his claims for an England recall by playing brilliantly on a slow pitch to reach three figures from only 115 balls and was unbeaten on 136 as Essex rallied to close on 269 for nine.

It ruined Derbyshire's chances of dismissing Essex for under 150 after they put Essex in on a green pitch following rain, which delayed the start until 12.15pm.

The seamers wasted the new ball by bowling too wide but Jonathan Clare undermined Essex after lunch with a spell of three wickets for three runs in 23 balls.

Cook and Tom Westley were rebuilding the innings following Jason Gallian's dismissal in the fifth over - but a sharp piece of fielding by Tom Lungley started the slide.

His throw from third man ran out Westley for 19 and Cook went in the next over when he was lbw for 27 to a ball from Clare which came back.

Adam Wheater made a great start to his first-class debut

Mark Pettini was caught behind driving at Clare for three and when Ryan ten Doeschate played on, Essex had lost four for 22 in nine overs.

With wicketkeeper James Foster ruled out by a bruised thumb, Derbyshire had a great chance of exposing the tail but Bopara and James Middlebrook hit back with a stand of 105 in 23 overs.

Middlebrook scored only four of the first 50 as Bopara used his feet well to dominate the bowling, reaching his half-century, which included 11 fours, from 63 balls.

Derbyshire skipper Rikki Clarke broke the stand by having Middlebrook caught behind off a lifting ball for 23 but Bopara was then given excellent support by Adam Wheater on his championship debut.

The 18-year-old shared another half-century stand with Bopara, who brought up his century in the 59th over.

He had hit 17 fours plus a straight driven six off Nayan Doshi and has now scored 150, 99 and 136 not out in his three innings so far this season.

Wheater's fine supporting role ended when he top-edged a pull at Graham Wagg and was caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Pipe for 22 - but he had helped Bopara add 71 for the seventh wicket.

Derbyshire claimed a new ball with four overs remaining and Lungley forced Chris Wright to play on, while Wagg trapped David Masters lbw - but the day belonged to Bopara.