A hard-working century from Dan Lawrence, together with an aggressive 86 from captain Ryan ten Doeschate, helped Division Two leaders Essex recover from 68 for five and put themselves a dominant position against Leicestershire.

Consecutive century partnerships, the first for the sixth wicket between Lawrence and ten Doeschate, the second for the seventh between Lawrence and James Foster (54), were a demonstration of the strength in depth that has taken Essex to the top of the Division Two - and looks set to keep them there.

Lawrence began the season impressively before losing form, but the 19-year-old took advantage of ten Doeschate’s fluency to play himself in before accelerating late in the day to pass three figures, closing on 123 not out when bad light ended play two overs early with Essex on 368 for eight.

The day began ideally for Leicestershire, with debutant Dieter Klein picking up a wicket with the first ball of the day. The visitors resumed on 13 for two, and South African left-armer Klein immediately produced a superb swinging yorker to uproot Nick Browne’s off-stump.

It was similar delivery to that with which Klein bowled England captain Alastair Cook the previous evening, and he added to his haul with a bouncer which Tom Westley hooked high to deep square leg, where Paul Horton held the catch at the second attempt.

In between, Charlie Shreck bowled Ravi Bopara with as unplayable an out-swinger as any the experienced Cornishman can have bowled in his long first-class career, and at 68 for five, the visitors were in deep trouble.

On a pitch on which most batsmen had struggled to score with any fluency, however, ten Doeschate hit 86 off just 83 balls, and together with Lawrence, compiled a partnership of 125 runs at over four an over to drag his side back into the ascendency.

They took the score on to 193 before ten Doeschate tried to drive a wide delivery from Ben Raine and edged behind where wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley held a good catch diving to his right.

Lawrence found the going harder, but he fought his way through the session, going to his 50 off 143 balls. He found another durable partner in Foster, and though the former England wicket-keeper became the first of two victims in four balls for Richard Jones, Lawrence remained unbeaten on 123, with Essex leading by 130 runs, and with power to add.