CHELMSFORD (Essex won toss): Essex Eagles (2pts) beat Lancashire Lightning by 31 runs
ESSEX remain on course for a second one-day league title in successive seasons, but their attempt looked in deep trouble within minutes of the start of last night’s floodlit match.
Needing to win both of their final games to make certain of topping the table, the Eagles lost two wickets before the score was in double figures. But intelligent stands — of 71 between Andy Bichel and Ravi Bopara, and 63 from James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate — rescued their innings.
Lancashire looked better than a team in their parlous position but they were unable to capitalise on their breakthroughs in the field. Murali Kartik took two wickets in his second over, but Essex were still able to push on with only moderate difficulty to a score a little better than par.
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Mal Loye made Essex’s 233 seem gettable, but once he departed, well caught at mid-off by Bopara for 71, Lancashire’s task looked forlorn. He had produced some outrageous shots, including a slog-sweep over square leg that his doctor has tried without success to banish from his repertoire as the player looks to ease an abdominal strain.
Evidently not content with his pivotal 67 with the bat, Foster starred after the break, too, adding a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Steven Croft, effecting the run-out of Glen Chapple and completing two sharp stumpings that helped Tim Phillips to figures of five for 32, his best in one-day cricket.