Stevie Eskinazi ransacks winless Essex

Stephen Eskinazi put pointless Essex to the sword as his 72 gave Middlesex their first Men's Vitality Blast victory of the season.

The hosts had lost six wickets in 29 balls to hinder their batting effort, although Simon Harmer's T20 best for Essex - a brisk 41 - helped his side to a semi-respectable 156.

Eskinazi hammered his 23rd T20 fifty in style, but Ben Geddes' six-fuelled 30 off 11 took the visitors to victory with 15 balls to spare, and kept Essex winless in the competition.

After being asked to bat, Adam Rossington gave the Eagles a flyer with 31 off 17 balls, built around five powerfully struck fours and a less convincing six down the ground.

With three balls left of the powerplay, Essex were on 60 and cruising but by the end of the fielding restrictions, they were two down and 29 balls later, another four batters had been and gone.

The wickets were shared around during the collapse. Tom Helm had Rossington splicing to cover and two balls later, Michael Pepper had feathered behind down the legside. The fast bowler would also see off Shane Snater and Harmer in the final over to return four for 32, an upgrade on his back-to-back three-fors.

Josh Little brilliantly bounced out Dean Elgar, while Jack Davies added the stumpings of Paul Walter and Charlie Allison to his two catches, before Matt Critchley reversed to short fine leg.

But Harmer rallied the innings and got Essex in the vicinity of par - but still under. The skipper took no risks but quickly accumulated much-needed runs, as he found Luc Benkenstein to stick around for 43 runs.

His six over Noah Cornwall's head was extremely clean, while his final over pull over the ropes couldn't have been middled better. He fell to the last ball of the innings but his 41 off 28 was invaluable to Essex reaching 156.

Eskinazi and Kane Williamson put the chase on control with the former providing the explosives and the New Zealander the anchor in a 97-run salvo for the first wicket. Essex continued their run of not taking a powerplay wicket.

Everything looked in hand with Eskinazi's middle of the bat constantly vibrating as he passed a 35-ball half-century, but a mini-wobble, which included three wickets falling in nine balls, gave Essex hope.

Williamson top-edged a sweep to the 45, Eskinazi mistimed a pull to the deep, Leus du Plooy was bowled by a Harmer beauty in a wicket maiden, and Davies picked out midwicket.

But that dream of a turnaround evaporated when Ben Geddes deposited Walter in or over the Felsted Stand three balls in a row to take Middlesex within nine runs.

Ryan Higgins continued the runs of sixes at the start of the following over before a four two balls later secured the victory.