Stand-in skipper James Foster struck his first century of the season as promotion-seeking Essex posted a mammoth 517 for nine declared on the second day of the County Championship match with Leicestershire at Chelmsford.

In response the Foxes closed on 93 for two after losing Paul Nixon and Boeta Dippenaar.

Wicket-keeper Foster, doubling-up as captain in the absence of regular skipper Mark Pettini (back problem), led by example with a faultless innings enriched with a host of delightfully-timed drives on either side of the wicket.

He arrived at three figures in glorious style with a straight drive off spinner Claude Henderson that cleared the ropes adding to his tally of 13 fours from the 160 deliveries he faced before the declaration came with the 29-year-old unbeaten on 103.

David Masters also spent profitable time in the middle striking his second fifty of the summer with an entertaining but responsible 67 out of 104 in a ninth-wicket stand before he was run out when Foster declined a call for a chancy single. His half-century took just 58-balls and included a six and seven other boundaries.

Resuming on 310 for three, Essex lost Tom Westley to the first ball of the day,

when he was pinned in the crease by a ball from Andrew Harris and, although John Maunders soon added the eight runs needed to reach his 150, he then edged Harris into the hands of Nixon at slip.

That concluded the opener's highest innings for Essex having faced 306 balls and hit 20 boundaries to leave the hosts 321 for five.

Foster and Tim Phillips then went in search of the remaining two batting points making steady progress until 13 were required from the final available over.

Although Foster took five runs from the first two deliveries, Phillips was stumped for 22 off Henderson before Kaneria was caught two balls later without scoring as the home side fell just short in their quest.

However the stand between Foster and Masters provided more than satisfactory consolation with Essex posting a 500 plus total for the second time in as many matches.

Leicestershire had reduced their deficit by 83 runs before the openers were parted as they lost two wickets for the addition of just four more runs with Pakistan leg-spinner Kaneria the architect of their downfall.

Nixon had struck a typical 40 mixing the conventional with invention when he attempted a reverse-sweep and was caught by Foster.

Then, with three overs remaining, Dippenaar was caught by Phillips at second slip for a duck to a ball that pitched leg side and took an outside edge.

Although opener Matt Boyce is only three runs short of a half-century, the visitors still require another 275 runs to avoid the follow-on.