Bopara brilliance shines through

Derbyshire could not prevent Essex completing a 25-run victory in a high-scoring floodlit NatWest Pro40 Division Two game.

A brilliant unbeaten 112 from only 59 balls from Ravi Bopara, who also claimed four wickets, and 108 not out from Jason Gallian lifted the Eagles to 304 for one.

Although the Phantoms made a spirited reply, they came up short at 279 for eight - despite Rikki Clarke's defiant 69.

Their bowlers were dazzled by the strokeplay of Bopara, who more than made up for the fact that Graham Napier's big hitting was not required.

Napier would have struggled to rival the quality of Bopara, who demolished the Phantoms' attack after Gallian and Mark Pettini had provided him with a launching pad by putting on 143 for the first wicket.

Pettini made 73 before he top-edged Graham Wagg to the wicketkeeper in the 24th over but that was Derbyshire's last success as Bopara, backed by the measured batting of Gallian, cut loose.

Ravi Bopara plays into the off side in his 54-ball ton that included seven sixes

A muscular pull over the midwicket boundary off Greg Smith was the first of his seven sixes and Derbyshire were powerless to stem the tide as he accelerated to a 38-ball half-century after Gallian had completed his third one-day hundred of the season from 94 balls.

Bopara then dispatched Wagg for four consecutive sixes with his second 50 coming off only 16 balls as the Eagles soared past the 300 mark.

But conditions were good for batting and Derbyshire also started well, with Chris Rogers and Dan Birch sharing an opening stand of 75 before Bopara bowled Birch with a slower ball.

Rogers and Wavell Hinds took up the challenge by adding 87 in 12 overs and it needed a brilliant catch by Tim Phillips on the midwicket boundary who tossed the ball to Chris Wright before he stepped over the ropes to remove Hinds for 53 off 47 balls.

Rogers skied James Middlebrook to midwicket in the next over but Clarke and Greg Smith kept the Phantoms in it by adding 57 in seven overs.

Another Bopara slower ball sent back Smith but Clarke refused to accept defeat, hitting Ryan ten Doeschate for four fours in the 36th over - which cost 17 runs.

But Jamie Pipe and Wagg fell victim to the climbing asking rate and with 37 needed off the last two overs, Clarke's 45-ball innings ended when he chipped to cover - ending Derbyshire's brave chase.