Yorkshire 81 for 3 trail Essex 403 (Walter 141, Cook 107, Harmer 54) by 322 runs
They could afford to take their time, safe in the knowledge that Walter would not be rushing to the landmark. Having been out for 93 against Northamptonshire last week – just shy of his first-class best, the 96 he made against Gloucestershire last season – and after enjoying a couple of reprieves on Thursday, this was an opportunity not to be passed up.
To the complete absence of ball-by-ball updates on Sky Sports News and hastily compiled Twitter highlights packages, Walter ticked along in his quest. He started by playing out a maiden from Jordan Thompson, moved into the 90s with a push to mid-off, then crept closer with a sliced drive wide of the slip cordon for four. Thompson came perilously close to locating his outside edge on 98, but after 45 minutes of the morning session – and 28 balls in the 90s – a fine leg glance ran away to the rope and enabled Walter to remove his helmet and raise his bat for the first time in professional cricket.
Yorkshire were complicit, with both Walter and Matt Critchley put down in consecutive overs from Dom Bess. But the drawback of Essex’s stodgy approach became apparent when they promptly lost 5 for 24 in the space of 16.3 overs after lunch. After more than six hours at the crease, Walter could be forgiven a tired swipe at Bess, to be caught at backward point, but Essex’s middle order then departed in a hurry: Adam Rossington missed his first ball from Bess, which hit the top of off, before Feroze Khushi was given out caught behind and Critchley bowled by one which perhaps kept a touch low.
From 303 for 3, and seemingly intent on batting their way into an impregnable position, the Essex innings was threatening to subside for less than 350. It took some calculated biffing from Harmer, with five fours and three sixes in his half-century, to lift them above 400 – the last-wicket pair adding 58 at almost exactly a run a ball, and extending Root’s spell patrolling the outfield a little longer.