WARWICKSHIRE are in control of proceedings in the County Championship match at Chelmsford having concluded the second day on 277-3, just 64 runs behind Essex who had been dismissed for 341.

Tony Frost and Jonathan Trott frustrated the home side with a stand of 182 in 57 overs with Frost finishing the day 121 not out as the home attack struggled to find the cutting edge.

That was despite some early encouragement earned when Darren Maddy fell to the second ball of the innings after David Masters had the opener brilliantly caught by James Foster for a duck.

However, from thereon, it was hard work for an attack that sorely missed the influence of leading leg-spinner Danish Kaneria who is sidelined for the remainder of the season after sustaining a broken a finger at Colchester just under a month ago.

The Pakistan twirler had taken 14 wickets in three championship matches at Chelmsford this season but his absence on a pitch playing progressively easier proved a major handicap for a side that had started the match hoping to enhance their prospects of reaching the First Division next season with a victory.

Now the reality is that they need to avoid defeat although that would only keep slim hopes alive going into the final match of the season at Bristol against Gloucestershire next week.

Frost and Trott came together with the total on 85-2 after Navdeep Ponia (37) had clipped a ball from James Middlebrook into the hands of Ravi Bopara at short mid-wicket but from that moment, it was the batsmen’s day.

They eliminated possible demise with a cautious approach although both did display a number of handsome straight and cover drives against an attack that soon gradually resorted to containment with Bopara particularly bowling persistently wide of the off stump to a 2-7 field.

Neither Frost nor Trott offered encouragement to a seven-man attack as captain Mark Pettini regularly rotated his bowlers without reward. Trott eased to his half-century having faced 97 deliveries that embraced 7 boundaries shortly before the determined and resolute Frost reached his hundred having faced 128 balls and struck 8 fours in a chanceless innings.

He then immediately played an expansive drive to Middlebrook that flew off the edge to Jason Gallian at first slip only for the fielder to spill the chance.

Having contributed 110 out of 246-2 and with the new ball just 5 balls old, he offered another chance, this time to John Maunders who dived to his left at second slip but was unable to hold onto the opportunity.

It seemed that another victim was to elude the home side but there was late consolation when Trott was trapped leg before on 81 by Chris Wright who angled the ball across the batsman.

Nightwatchman Chris Voakes was 7 not out at the close whilst Frost will take up the cudgels again when play resumes having already faced 286 deliveries and struck 16 boundaries in an innings that has seen him occupy the crease for almost 5 and three-quarter hours.

At the start of the day, Warwickshire needed only 8 deliveries to take the final two Essex first innings wickets and deny their hosts the opportunity of a fourth batting point. David Masters was caught at gully for 5 before Tony Palladino pushed tentatively forward and was caught behind for a single as just 8 runs were added to the over night total.