LIFTING the Friends Provident Trophy on Saturday completed an amazing 14 months for Essex Eagles skipper Mark Pettini.

The 25-year-old was thrust into the captaincy following the sudden retirement through injury of Ronnie Irani in June 2007.

At first, Pettini struggled with the responsibility, finding both victories and runs hard to come by.

This summer, however, things have improved both individually and collectively.

Pettini smashed two centuries in Essex’s run to Saturday’s final showdown with the Kent Spitfires.

At Lord’s, the youngest captain in county cricket made a series of fine decisions — none more important than the selection of match-winner Grant Flower ahead of spinner James Middlebrook.

Afterwards, however, Pettini showed typical humility in heaping praise on his team-mates, rather than lapping up the adulation for himself.

“It was a fantastic day,” he said.

“It was obviously a good game of cricket and epitomised a fine team performance. We were outstanding as a unit.”

While Pettini’s own decisions — aside from a period when Martin van Jaarsveld and Ryan McLaren re-built Kent’s innings from 100-6 — worked in Essex’s favour, the Cardiff University astronomy graduate was impressed with the performances of his own stars.

Graham Napier and David Masters opened the bowling with accuracy and hostility, removing Kent’s dangerous opening pair of Robert Key and Joe Denly.

Backing them up were Chris Wright, Danish Kaneria, Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate, all of whom chipped in with vital wickets.

“I think everything pretty much went perfectly to plan with our bowling and fielding,” Pettini observed.

“We didn’t let them get away at the top of the order, which is where Kent’s strengths are.

“In the middle, I knew I had guys to rely on like Danish, Ravi and Ryan and we just squeezed them really well.

“Chris Wright bowled superbly well, considering he hasn’t played in every game. I think his selection was a good one.

“He showed with a couple of crucial wickets that he could come in a do a really good job.

“Napes was fantastic up-front. His first six overs went for 11 runs and he got the wicket of Joe Denly which was obviously very important. He was a key performer for us with the ball.

“Dave likes to get wickets against anybody, but it’s always sweeter when it’s against one of your former teams.”

However, while his players all performed well, Pettini conceded that the toss of a coin also played a big part in the Eagles’ success.

Opposite number Key won the pre-match flip and decided to bat first — a decision he would be left to rue.

“I would have batted first,” Pettini admitted.

“An hour before the toss I would have bowled first when it was overcast, but they cut the pitch and the sun came out a bit.

“Runs on the board can be very important in a big final when the pressure is on.

“214 is a total we’d normally chase down with ease, but you saw that we had a few hairy moments.”