Michael Bevan batted Sussex into a strong position at Arundel yesterday with his second century of the season.
The Australian left-hander was unbeaten on 105 with Sussex leading by 231 runs at 243-5.
Bevan, who made a second ball duck in the first innings, initially adopted a cautious approach, but when his captain Chris Adams joined him to put on 103 in 29 overs they produced the most entertaining batting of a hard-fought contest.
On a pitch offering increasing assistance to the spinners, Bevan and Adams couldn't afford to take too many risks and expose their brittle lower order.
But selective hitting over the infield brought them two sixes apiece and they put pressure on an ordinary Essex fielding performance with good running between the wickets.
At 154-3 just after tea Sussex were in a commanding position, but Bevan then had to take responsiblity for ensuring that their advantage wasn't squandered after two wickets fell in two balls.
Adams, who hit six fours and Paul Grayson's off spin for two straight sixes, drove powerfully outside off stump only for Stuart Law to hold onto a sensational reflex catch at slip.
Irani pinned Tony Cottey in front of his stumps with his next delivery, but the Essex captain surprisingly bowled just three more overs in his spell and when he came out of the attack Bevan batted his side back into the ascendancy.
He reached his 44th first-class hundred and first against Essex off 222 balls in 262 minutes with nine fours and two lofted straight sixes off Such.
He will have an opportunity to go into one-day mode and accelerate the scoring rate this morning although Adams is unlikely to declare unless he has 300 runs on the board.
The only disappointment was that Robin Martin-Jenkins won't be there with him. The all-rounder looked composed and confident for the second time in the match, making 37 in a fifth-wicket stand of 90 to add to his first innings career-best, before he was caught behind propping forward off the last ball of the day which bounced sharply.
It gave Such a deserved second wicket. He got the ball to turn and bounce consistently in two long spells from the Park end, claiming his first wicket when Richard Montgomerie was leg before for 18.
Toby Peirce made 13 before Mark Ilott took an athletic return catch inches off the ground and it is becoming a matter of concern that neither opener currently averages more than a modest 23.
Earlier James Kirtley had blown away the Essex tail in a high-quality display of distinctly fast swing bowling. He took three wickets in 20 balls in the morning session to finish with 6-85, his best performance of the season and second successive six-wicket haul against Essex.
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