Flower helps Essex bloom 16 Aug, 2008 © AFP
Essex won the Friends Provident Trophy as Grant Flower's 70 not out inspired a five wicket win over Kent at Lords's on Saturday. Zimbabwean batsman Flower, 37, led a composed chase to the target of 215 after mid-innings wickets left his young side 93 for four to ensure Essex gained revenge for last month's lost to Kent in the Twenty20 Cup semi-finals. Essex captain Mark Pettini insisted his side's team-spirit had been the decisive factor. "That was the epitome of a team performance," Pettini said. "Grant Flower stood out in the run chase, but the rest of the day was all down to the fight from the team. "It turned out to be a nice toss to lose. My team were absolutely fantastic. We knew Kent would come hard at us, and the guys rose to the challenge really well." Kent were skittled out for 214 thanks to two wicket each from Danish Kaneria, Ravi Bopara, David Masters and Chris Wright. Only South Africans Martin van Jaarsveld, with 58, and Ryan McLaren, with 63, offered any resistance for Kent. But when Essex lost England pair Bopara and Alastair Cook in consecutive Robbie Joseph overs, momentum appeared to be switching towards Robert Key's team. But Flower nudged the ball into gaps and ran his opponents ragged in a 68-run stand with James Foster, in which his partner's share was just 18. That fifth-wicket alliance broke the back of the pursuit and Flower did not allow the required run rate get much beyond five per over even after the loss of Foster - who became the third victim of the lively Joseph. Any late-innings nerves were quelled when, with 26 required from the final five overs, Ryan ten Doeschate helped a delivery from Yasir Arafat off his pads and down the Lord's slope for four. Flower, who clipped, cut and dabbed his way to a 73-ball 50, fittingly sealed the success by lofting a full toss from Azhar Mahmood over mid-on for four. | 
