Napier hits form

Graham Napier gave a fine performance with bat and ball

Graham Napier’s all-round display was integral to Essex’s second win of the Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge.

Napier claimed three wickets as Sussex slumped from 55 without loss to 125 for five and he then crashed 50 off 40 balls after coming to the crease at 77 for five in pursuit of 231.

Essex sealed an exciting one-wicket win when veteran Grant Flower hit left-arm spinner Tom Smith over extra-cover for six with just three balls to spare.

It appeared things were going Sussex’s way when Napier joined Flower under the Sharjah floodlights but four sixes from the former gave the innings the impetus it lacked early on.

His fourth, carried over the rope by Andrew Hodd, took him to a half-century but he was dismissed next delivery when Michael Yardy held a stunning return catch, plucking the ball out of the air with his left hand.

But Flower found another willing ally in Alex Tudor and the ratio was reduced to eight runs off the last over with last man Maurice Chambers at the wicket.

Two singles were followed by a powerful loft over the off-side from Flower, who finished unbeaten on 58.

England one-day international Luke Wright turned in a display on a par with that of Napier, working up a brisk pace to finish with figures of 4-31.

Earlier, Wright provided an incendiary start to the Sussex Sharks’ 230 for eight with 33 off just 24 balls.

Employed as an opener, Wright hit three sixes and a four before spiralling a short ball from Tudor to third man.

Sharjah has hosted more one-day internationals than any other ground in the world but it is unlikely any of the 198 matches contained a six as big as Wright’s third and final one.

Having already helped young fast bowler Chambers over the stand at deep midwicket, 23-year-old Wright bettered the distance with another huge hit, which resulted in the ball being lost in the adjacent building site.