Essex retain Floodlit Cup

Essex beat the PCA Masters by four wickets at Chelmsford on Thursday to win the Twenty20 Floodlit Cup.

Having already won their first three matches in the round-robin competition, also featuring Derbyshire, Essex went into their final match with the knowledge that another win would secure the Cup for the second year in a row.

Their opponents pushed them hard and it was only a late flurry from James Foster (65*) that ensured Essex reached their target of 157 with one ball to spare.

The Masters produced an innings that gathered momentum, after winning the toss, with four batsmen reaching 20. Azhar Mahmood top-scored with 36 off 23 balls, including a savage pull through midwicket off Ryan ten Doeschate for six to bring up the 100.

Essex's reply began disastrously when Mark Pettini was caught by Phil Simmons at second slip off Mahmood's first ball. Grant Flower went the same way in the third over as Essex lurched to 15-2.

James Middlebrook (25) and Ryan ten Doeschate (39) then upped the tempo in a stand of 43 with the latter hitting three leg-side sixes in Martin Bicknell's third over to bring the 50 up in the sixth over.

After Middlebrook was run out attempting a second run to midwicket the stage was set for Foster to see his team home. The Essex wicketkeeper lost partners at regular intervals but he kept his head to reach his 50 with a straight six and four off Dean Headley.

Graham Napier played a useful supporting role in an unbeaten stand of 40 for the seventh-wicket as the six runs needed off the final over from Chris Lewis were duly reached off the penultimate ball when Foster straight-drove to the boundary.

Friday's last match in the competition between Derbyshire and the PCA Masters at Derby will now decide the minor placings with the hosts looking to register their first victory in the competition at the fourth attempt.