ESSEX wicket-keeper James Foster believes Grant Flower will be forever remembered fondly by cricket lovers of the county.

Flower made certain of that in thrilling style last weekend when he played the starring role in helping the county to win their Friend’s Provident Trophy final against Kent in front of a capacity Lord’s crowd.

The 37-year-old Zimbabwean’s unbeaten 70 carried Essex to a five wickets triumph after they had bowled out their opponents for 214 and it was by far the most important innings he has produced since he arrived at the start of the 2005 season.

“It’s up there in my career achievements,” said a delighted Flower.

“Obviously playing international cricket for your country is a massive honour, but this is definitely the high point of my time at Essex.”

And Foster admitted that the match was in the balance when he joined Flower at the crease with Essex 93-4, before the pair struck up a half-century partnerships.

“It was a strange sort of wicket really it had a little bit in it consistently throughout the day,” said the Loughton-based stumper.

“To be honest, I wasn’t feeling too great because of the virus I’ve had but I just had to try and hang around to offer as much support to Grant and as I could to get some sort of worthwhile partnership on the board.

“We put on the runs and at that stage, I was very keen to play my part in getting us to the win and I felt I had played myself in and we were going along OK. Then I got myself out which was very disappointing but Grant and Ryan were able to finish the job off.

“The knock from Grant was absolutely superb.”

Earlier, the Essex bowlers did their part in putting Essex in control. Robert Key was soon left regretting his decision to bat upon winning the toss when he and Joe Denly departed with only 19 on the board – Graham Napier and David Masters each collecting a wicket More wickets tumbled as Chris Wright and Danish Kaneria made their presence felt and Kent found themselves in all sorts of bother at 100 for six. But Martin van Jaarsveld (58) and Ryan McLaren (63) left them with a fighting chance of ending a run of six successive defeats on one-day Lord’s finals.

But in the end Essex were not be denied a victory that more than made up for the semi-final defeat they suffered at the hands of their neighbours in the Twenty20 Cup at the Rose Bowl three weeks earlier.

Flower saw to that with an innings that seems certain to see him pulling on an Essex sweater again for at least one more season. His current contract runs out at the end of this campaign but after his latest exploits, he is bound to get the opportunity to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Essex are now engaged in a Championship battle against Worcestershire at Colchester’s Castle Park, to be followed by a Pro40 clash on Sunday at the same venue when Glamorgan provide the opposition.

Mark Pettini and his players go into action against the Welsh county still unbeaten in the competition and odds-on favourites to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet.