Matt Critchley continued his knack of starting the season strongly by masterfully posting his highest Rothesay County Championship score as Essex overwhelmed Hampshire.

Critchley averaged 90 in opening-round fixtures since arriving at Essex in 2022, and added a third century in five seasons with a sublime 173.

Critchley was assisted in a 186 stand with Charlie Allison, who made 80, a 50 partnership with Michael Pepper and 90 with Simon Harmer – who was left on 71 when Essex declared on 461 for seven.

Stand-in captain Sam Cook picked up both Hampshire openers before Shane Snater completed the top-order demolition to leave the hosts 48 for three at stumps.

Critchley began the day three runs shy of his 13th first-class century and after 20 minutes, reached the milestone with a booming cut – which was well-celebrated on and off the field.

It continued an eye-catching run of start-of-season runs for Critchley since signing from Derbyshire.

On debut against Kent, he made an immediate impression with 132, and after three half-centuries in the next four innings, he began last season with 145 not out versus Surrey.

His previous best of 151, against Kent in 2025, was also in the early season.

At Utilita Bowl, he had come to the crease after Tom Westley had been struck on the hand by Sonny Baker – which eventually led to Westley being the first player replaced in the ECB’s player replacement trial.

It was a tricky entrance with the ball moving around and Essex in slight trouble at what quickly became 67 for three.

But he kept the scoreboard ticking with sensible risk-free batting, made sure the ball got soft and then cashed in.

Flair was never on his mind, but that didn’t stop him from accumulating at a good pace, reaching 150 in 229 balls, before reaching a new personal best with an upper cut for six.

Allison had been a mainstay alongside him, following up perfectly on a breakthrough 2025 – in which he scored three tons.

Another deserved three-figures looked the destination for his season opener, but he fell into a short-ball trap as Hampshire tried to whittle down the overs to the new ball – whacking Eddie Jack straight to deep square.

Pepper fell for a breezy 32, lbw to give Codi Yusuf his maiden Hampshire wicket, before Westley’s replacement Noah Thain was caught behind off Baker.

Hampshire didn’t bowl badly but struggled to create chances on a pitch that got flatter as the day progressed.

Critchley was eventually dismissed when he slapped Tom Prest to mid-wicket but Harmer and Snater continued to build a monster score.

Harmer moved past a half-century in 109 balls as the pair put on 61 before bad light took the players off a few overs after tea. During the gloom, Essex declared.

Cook and Porter have long been the Championship’s bogeymen for top-order batters and lived up to their billing with a pristine set of spells with the new ball.

It took 25 balls for Hampshire’s new-look top order to get off the mark, in which time Nick Gubbins had already been bowled shouldering his arms at Cook.

Cook also found Joe Weatherley tickling behind, with only 18 runs coming off the first 10 overs, before Snater had Tom Prest slashing behind.

There was still time for Jake Lehmann to get dropped twice, although he survived to close on 30, with Hampshire still 413 runs in arrears.