Ravi Bops Brown Caps

England duo both contribute as Essex squeeze home at Chelmsford

Last updated: 29th May 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ravi Bops Brown Caps

Bopara: Fine knock of 53

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Twenty20 Cup - South Division
Chelmsford
Surrey 165-5 (S A Newman 81 no) v Essex 169-6 (R S Bopara 53)
Essex beat Surrey by 4 wkts

A fine half-century from Ravi Bopara helped Essex edge out Surrey by four wickets in a final-over thriller at Chelmsford.

The England batsman struck four fours and two sixes - both his straight down the ground off Andre Nel - as the Eagles squeezed home with a ball to spare.

Alastair Cook also weighed in for his county, hitting 39 off just 27 balls to help put on 65 for the second wicket in only eight overs with his international colleague.

However, Martin Spriegel removed Bopara for 53 and then had James Foster caught in the deep for four in the same over to give Surrey renewed hope.

Flower power

Matt Walker (30) pushed Essex to the brink, though, and despite his departure, and that of Ryan ten Doeschate with the scores level, Grant Flower sealed the win with a four off the penultimate delivery.

Scott Newman had earlier helped Surrey post a competitive total, the left-handed opener carrying his bat to make 81 from 60 balls.

His effort contained 10 fours and a six and included a 50-run stand with opening partner Usman Afzaal (23).

Newman also put on 63 with Spriegel, who made 23 down the order, in the closing stages after the Brown Caps had slipped from 50 without loss to 88-4.

Mark Ramprakash had cruised to 17 before David Masters (2-34) breached his defence to knock over middle stump.

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