Victory seals Essex progression

Alastair Cook and Varun Chopra hit half-centuries to help holders Essex to their second win over Lancashire in this year’s Friends Provident Trophy.

The pair shared a 124-run partnership as Essex chased down a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 207 from 46 overs after Lancashire had made 214 for seven in 50 overs.

Then, after both had gone for 65 within three overs, Matt Walker hit a blistering 35 off 21 balls to see Essex, who at one stage needed nine an over, to a five-wicket victory with three balls to spare.

Derbyshire’s defeat to Glamorgan meant Essex qualified for the quarter-finals anyway, while Lancashire went into the game already assured of top spot in Group D.

Essex’s reply got off to the worst possible start as captain Mark Pettini was caught by Sajid Mahmood off the bowling of Kyle Hogg for just three.

Cook was then dropped by Paul Horton at slip on seven, but the England opener, fresh from his 160 in the second Test against the West Indies, made Lancashire pay.

England opener Alastair Cook continued his good form with a fine 65 for Essex

He and Chopra put together a strong partnership after that, although they did let the run rate slip.

And it was just as Cook tried to put his foot on the accelerator that he received a delivery from Tom Smith which spat up at him and all he could do was loop it back to the bowler.

Chopra soon followed as he was also caught and bowled, this time by Mahmood who bowled impressively in front of national selector Geoff Miller.

And when Graham Napier and Grant Flower both fell cheaply to Smith and Stephen Parry respectively, Essex needed 36 off the last four overs.

But Walker and James Foster took to the challenge, hitting Hogg for 16 off the 42nd over, and steered Essex home.

Earlier, Francois du Plessis continued his recent good form for Lancashire with 51.

He shared a half-century partnership with Mark Chilton as the Lightning recovered from losing the early wickets of Smith and Ashwell Prince after good work from Foster behind the stumps.

The wicketkeeper pulled off an outstanding diving catch low to his left to send back Smith, who edged Napier.

Then Foster, who is in England’s squad for the World Twenty20, stumped South Africa Test star Prince as spinner Danish Kaneria found some turn, leaving Lancashire on 55-2.

Du Plessis and Chilton moved the score on to 125 before Chilton was trapped lbw by Kaneria. And, having brought up his half-century with a six off Chris Wright, du Plessis was out next ball, caught at point by Chopra.

Horton, after going off for some treatment after being hit on the arm while on 18, returned to help put on a quick-fire 37 with Luke Sutton.

But the opener was eventually dismissed for 41 as his middle stump was sent flying by Napier’s final delivery with the score on 200.

Sutton, standing in as skipper for the injured Glen Chapple, finished unbeaten on 28 from 28 balls, while Hogg was caught at mid-on by Grant Flower off the last ball of the innings from David Masters to leave Lancs on 214 for seven.