Flower blooms as Essex lift Friends Provident Trophy

6:38pm Saturday 16th August 2008

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VETERAN Grant Flower was Essex's hero as the Eagles soared to Friends Provident Trophy glory by shooting down the Kent Spitfires by five wickets at Lord's.

The former Zimbabwe batsman, 37, showed all his experience to compile a determined unbeaten 70 and lead the county to their third success in the competition and first since 1997.

Flower, who left his volatile homeland to follow brother Andy to Chelmsford in 2005 and was included at the expense of spinner James Middlebrook, hit six fours in a 97-ball innings Australian batsman Michael Bevan – his “coolest cricketer” – would have been proud off.

At the other end, South African-born Dutchman Ryan ten Doeschate made a typically defiant 30 not out in a match-winning unbroken stand of 67.

Flower's match-winning innings came near the end of a season in which his contract with Essex will end – they may now offer him a new one.

Victory also gave Essex sweet revenge for the Twenty20 Cup semi-final defeat they suffered at the hands of the same opposition just three weeks ago.

Chasing 215 for victory, Essex had earlier lost captain Mark Pettini for 10, trapped lbw by Azhar Mahmood with the score on 32.

Jason Gallian (28) and Alastair Cook then carried the score to 60 before the veteran was bowled off an inside edge by the Pakistani all-rounder.

Ravi Bopara joined his England colleague at the crease, but looked out-of-sorts in making just seven from 20 balls before being harshly adjudged leg-before to Antigua-born paceman Joseph.

And when the West Indian struck again to remove Cook (33) just six runs later, caught mis-pulling at cover by Darren Stevens, Essex were in trouble at 94-4.

Flower, however, had other ideas, making a patient half-century off 73 balls with four boundaries.

At the other end, James Foster played a foil innings of 19 to help the Eagles past the 150-mark.

But, having put on 68, the wicket-keeper was caught by opposite number Geraint Jones off the bowling of Joseph to leave Essex 161-5.

Flower continued, however, and when ten Doeschate was dropped by Darren Stevens off Yasir Arafat with the score on 183, Essex needed 32 to win from 39 balls.

Earlier, David Masters, Chris Wright, Danish Kaneria and Bopara had each taken two wickets as Kent – who won the toss and chose to bat first – were dismissed for 214 from the final delivery of their 50 overs.

South African pair Ryan McLaren, who was bowled by Bopara for a 71-ball 63 to end the Spitfires' innings, and Martin van Jaarsveld (58), were Kent's main contributors.

However, the latter should arguably have been dismissed leg-before wicket first ball by Graham Napier, only for umpire George Sharp to turn down Essex's appeals.

Earlier, Kent captain Robert Key (seven) had been controversially adjudged caught behind by Foster off the bowling of Masters.

England hopeful Joe Denly was then bowled by a searing Napier in-swinger to leave Kent 19-2.

And when Justin Kemp (16) was bowled by Masters and Wright had Darren Stevens caught behind for a duck, the Spitfires were in a tailspin at 59-4.

Jones (19) and van Jaarsveld carried the score up to 94 before the former England wicketkeeper was trapped lbw by Kaneria.

Azhar Mahmood (two) soon followed, caught in the deep by Flower, before van Jaarsveld was brilliantly caught by the diving Cook at mid-wicket off the bowling of Wright. McLaren and Yasir Arafat came together at 138 and added 66 before the Pakistani all-rounder was bowled behind his legs by Bopara.

James Tredwell was run out by a combination of Cook and Ryan ten Doeschate without facing.

McLaren was then dropped by Gallian before England all-rounder Bopara re-arranged the South African's stumps with his final delivery.