Centuries from Stuart Law and Darren Robinson contributed the bulk of the Essex endeavours to stave off the follow on target of 410 and at the close, the home side still required another 81 runs with three wickets remaining.

Neither of the two century makers appeared troubled on an apparently benign wicket as they combined for a second wicket partnership worth 194 runs despite the admirable persistence of the visitors attack.

Law played with typical imposing aggression and assertiveness prospering particularly from some sweetly timed classical drives whilst Robinson played solidly although always prepared to powerfully punish the looser deliveries.

Law eased past the 78 runs needed to complete his 1,000 championship runs for the season and moved inexorably towards his fourth century of the campaign, reaching the milestone from 151 deliveries that embraced 19 boundaries.

However, he had reached 115 when Shahid Afridi completed a magnificent left-handed return catch off his own bowling to dismiss the Australian. Five runs later and with the score on 211, Leicestershire added the wicket of Essex skipper Ronnie Irani when he glided a delivery from Phil DeFreitas down the leg side where former Essex wicket-keeper Neil Burns took a fine catch.

James Foster gave leg-spinner Afridi a second wicket when he played an indeterminate prod and was leg before wicket to leave the home side 220-4 but opener Robinson remained in determined and defiant mood.

Two short of his century at tea, the 28-year-old spent another four overs after the interval before reaching three figures and his first ton for two years. But his celebration was short-lived when he moved slightly forward to an off-break from Carl Crowe be stumped by Burns taking the ball down the leg-side.

Regular opener Paul Grayson, batting down the order because of an injured hip damaged when fielding, became Afridi's third wicket when he sliced an intended cut and was caught at backward point. That gave the bowling side further encouragement and realistic hopes of enforcing the follow-on to keep alive their dream of gaining revenge for an opening game of the season defeat by Essex.

Graham Napier bludgeoned his way to 36 that included two sixes amongst his six boundaries before he was bowled round his legs by Crowe but Tim Phillips and Ashley Cowan averted further problems for the home side whilst Afridi was the visitors most successful bowler, the Pakistani finishing the day with figures of 3-78 for an attack that was denied the services of Jon Dakin.

The medium-pacer had only bowled five deliveries in the morning session when he was forced to limp off the field with what appeared to be a damaged ankle problem although it was later revealed that he had in fact sustained a stomach injury.

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