Essex battled back to post 269-9 after the first day against Worcestershire.
Kabir Ali reduced the home side to 24-3 in the 11th over with three wickets at a cost of 13, including FP Trophy final hero Grant Flower for a two-ball duck.
Skipper Mark Pettini and James Foster fought back with a stand of 114 in 33 overs, both making half centuries.
Imran Arif took three quick wickets, Kabir added his fourth, but Ryan ten Doeschate reached fifty in 41 balls and hit 17 fours in a superb unbeaten 87.
Pettini and Foster appeared to have guided Essex to calmer waters at 138-3, but after some assured shot-making, both fell in successive deliveries.
Pettini had made 59 when he edged to wicketkeeper Steven Davies to provide paceman Arif with a wicket, and with the first ball of the following over Kabir removed Foster for 55, Davies again holding the catch.
Kabir, the country's leading wicket-taker, picked up his 57th Championship victim of the campaign when he had David Masters well caught at first slip by Ben Smith, and collected his fourth five-wicket haul of the season.
Ten Doeschate ensured an even first day, however, with some powerful strokes on both sides of the wicket.
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