STUART Law and James Foster forged a fifth-wicket partnership of 119 in 36 overs to revive Essex's fortunes after Glamorgan had claimed their first four wickets for just 55 runs in CricInfo County Championship Division One in Cardiff.

Essex closed the opening day on 242 for seven from 83.5 overs after bad light and rain brought a premature halt with 20 overs still scheduled.

Adrian Dale, Glamorgan's acting captain, might have been relieved to have lost the toss, especially after Ronnie Irani had elected the bat on a pitch that proved helpful to the seamers for the first couple of hours.

Darren Robinson, fresh from scoring a century in both innings of the last match against Leicestershire, went to the third ball of the day.

Steve Watkin got one to move in sharply and Robinson's inside edge was superbly held by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, who had to move rapidly to his left to take the catch. Robinson did not like the decision but was left with little option but to accept it once umpire Roy Palmer had confirmed his dismissal.

Stephen Peters soon gave Wallace his second catch, fending optimistically outside off stump.

Paul Grayson was bowled through the gate by an inswinger and when Irani pushed forward to a lifter and was caught off his glove at third slip Essex was in serious trouble. But Glamorgan, threatened with relegation from the first division almost as seriously as Essex, failed to press home their advantage as Law and Foster mounted a profitable backs to the wall struggle.

Foster, on 18 with Essex at 97 for four, was missed off a sharp chance at first slip four overs before lunch and it took Glamorgan until mid-afternoon to make another breakthrough.

Law, with his fourth century of the season seemingly well within reach, was nine runs short of the mark when he was deceived by a slower one from Darren Thomas and drove straight to the waiting Dean Cosker at cover point. The Australian had faced 141 balls and struck 14 fours.

Graham Napier contributed 17 to a modest six-wicket partnership of 25 before he edged a drive to the alert Wallace.

But Glamorgan paid the penalty for another missed chance when Ashley Cowan, with just four to his name, was put down to second slip off Thomas.

Foster hit his half-century by driving Cosker elegantly through wide mid-on for his fifth boundary and had moved to 57 off 169 balls, with six fours, when he edged to second slip.

Cowan and Mark Ilott then saw Essex safely through the increasing gloom before readily accepting the offer of bad light.

PICTURED: Darren Thomas celebrates taking the wicket of Ronnie Irani at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, yesterday.