Cook suffers finger injury blow

TOUR MATCH
Chelmsford, day one of three (close): Essex v New Zealand 348-9

Match scorecard

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Cook averaged more than 40 in Sri Lanka and New Zealand

England opener Alastair Cook dislocated his right little finger in Essex's game against New Zealand at Chelmsford.

Cook was hurt when he dropped Daniel Vettori at gully off Ryan ten Doeschate and went to hospital for an X-ray.

But that revealed no break and he is expected to play in the first Test against the Kiwis starting on 15 May.

Ten Doeschate (5-57) made the Kiwis struggle but James Marshall hit 128 as they made 348-9 by the end of the day.

Marshall's ton came on the same day twin Hamish brought up a three-figure score for Gloucestershire 166 miles away in Bristol.

His effort came after Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum struggled on their return from Indian Premier League action.

Aaron Redmond smacked seven boundaries in his breezy 35 after the Kiwis were put in on a greenish pitch.

But after Jamie How was lbw to Tony Palladino, Ten Doeschate got some inswing to remove Redmond in similar fashion in his first over.

Taylor took 14 off one Palladino over, including a straight six, but then nicked the first ball of the next to first slip, while McCullum pushed firmly to gully.

Marshall and Daniel Flynn (39) put on 128 in 25 overs, before the latter drove Ten Doeschate to mid-off, while Jacob Oram, Vettori and Kyle Mills did not last long.

Marshall ploughed on until he picked out deep square-leg with a pull, to give Ten Doeschate his fifth wicket, although Michael Mason and Iain O'Brien frustrated Essex by adding an unbroken 52 late on.