Joe Denly
* Rob Key
Martin van Jaarsveld
Justin Kemp
Darren Stevens
† Geraint Jones
Azhar Mahmood
Ryan McLaren
Yasir Arafat
James Tredwell
Rob Joseph
* Mark Pettini
Jason Gallian
Alastair Cook
Ravi Bopara
Grant Flower
† James Foster
Ryan ten Doeschate
Graham Napier
Chris Wright
David Masters
Danish Kaneria
* Denotes captain
† Denotes wicketkeeper
Date released: 16 August 2008
Essex beat Kent by five wickets to lift the Friends Provident Trophy in a cracking match at Lord's. Relive the match, with our over-by-over coverage and photos.
Essex: 215-5 (48.5 ovs)
Kent: 214 all out (50 ovs)
Batsmen: Grant Flower (70); Ryan ten Doeschate (30)
Bowlers:
Nursery End: Azhar Mahmood
Pavilion End: Ryan McLaren
Odd numbered overs from the Nursery End, even numbers the Pavilion End
(Press F5 to refresh the page and keep right up-to-date)
Following the game with Lords.org? Email us your questions, comments & opinions: Live@Lords.org
Essex Eagles celebrate with the Friends Provident Trophy
6:33pm: Mark Pettini and his team-mates parade the trophy around the ground, showing it off to all their fans that made the journey to Lord's, 'The Home of Cricket'.
It's a flashbulb frenzy, the press photographers swarming around the victorious Essex squad and all the fans rushing to the front of the stands to get a snap of their heroes.
6:28pm: The Eagles players get their medals and the ground is still pleasingly full of fans keen to show their side their support.
The Eagles finally get their hands on the trophy and the champagne flies. Well played:
6:23pm: Perhaps the least surprising event of the day, Grant Flower wins the man-of-the-match bubbly. His 70 runs swung the match Essex's way.
6:10pm: Essex Eagles win the Friends Provident Trophy by five wickets. Grant Flower playing a match-winning innings there, very well played.
6:05pm 49th over: One hit will do it - will they be tempted to go for the 'Flintoff route' to victory?
One to win - Flower on strike...
Mahmood's not going to give it up easily, two good balls have Flower blocking.
He didn't block that one! A big hit for four!
6:00pm 48th over: Just 11 more runs needed now. A nonchalant drop and run from Ten Doeschate. They know it'll take a miracle for them to mess this up now.
Ryan McLaren bowling this over. Ten Doeschate swings at that one, gets a top edge and it falls safe. Everything going Essex's way now. Three more runs to win.
5:57pm 47th over: Just 18 more runs needed by Essex. Kent make another bowling change, it's Azhar Mahmood back on at the Nursery End.
Make that 14 more needed, Ten Doeschate just got four of them.
The ground is ringing to the chants of "Essex! Essex!" The Eagles fans can scent victory.
5:53pm 46th over: A monumental chase down to the boundary there, both sets of fans emploring either ball or fielder to reach the rope first... it's the ball - four for Ten Doeschate.
Ten Doeschate is getting cocky - setting off for run that was never there and is very, very nearly run-out.
5:48pm 45th over: Stevens is tieing his shoelaces at long-off but you know he's still suffering for that dropped catch. Perhaps, as he crouches doing his shoelace, he was asking the Lord's turf to please, swallow him up.
Good over from McLaren, the first for a while to restrict Essex to fewer than five an over.
5:45pm 44th over: It's Yasir Arafat back, at the Pavilion End.
Ten Doeschate gets under that, as does Stevens for the catch... but it's grounded. A missed chance.
Next ball, Ten Doescahte drops one at Arafat's feet, who tries to kick it, football style onto the stumps - but the batsman's safe.
5:40pm 43rd over: It'll be a double change in this and the next over. McLaren comes on for Stevens at the Nursery End and Joseph has bowled all of his alloted ten overs at the Pavilion End, so a change there next over too.
The Dutchman, Ten Doeschate, once again happy to run singles to let Flower hog the strike. Flower and Ten Doeschate have a quick chat and next ball, the Dutchman runs two.
5:36pm 42nd over: Five runs from that last over - bang on target for Essex.
Flower binks Joseph over the circle of fielders for four. Six off that over, ahead of target.
Joseph's figures, 10 overs, 1 maiden, 3 wickets at the cost of 40 runs.
5:33pm 41st over: We're into the final ten overs now. Essex need exactly 50 runs to win at precisely 5 runs per over - hang on to your seats folks!
Ten Doeschate is happy to just drop it and run, to pick up singles and give Flower the strike as the Zimbabwean chases his fifty. There it is:
5:28pm 40th over: Joseph is wild-eyed with delight again - he's got that man Foster, feathering an edge to 'keeper Geraint Jones.
Three wickets for Joseph now. Essex still slightly ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis par score, only by four runs now as Kent turn the screw.
5:25pm 39th over: You'd think a decent display here, with the bat, would not do James Foster's England hopes any harm at all - with 'ECB Towers' just behind the Edrich Stand here at Lord's.
Foster is certainly proving a trusty foil for Flower.
5:21pm 38th over: Foster's score drops back to 16... some of them chalked up to byes, evidently. There's four more off the bat for Flower though.
The batsmen run a solid three, Flower looking good for a fifty here.
Foster & Flower show
- click for more photos 5:18pm 37th over: Kent just can't seem to shake these two batsmen, who looked quite settled now.
The run-rate is still not prolific but Essex won't be unduly worried until much later in the match. Flower crouches to sweep one away for a boundary.
5:13pm 36th over: Key tosses the ball to his two-wicket man, Joseph. Kent need another wicket or two to really unsettle Essex.
5:10pm 35th over: More dinks, flicks and chips from Flower and Foster - Essex ticking along just under the required rate still.
5:07pm 34th over: A boundary for Foster, Essex's run-rate starting to increase now.
5:05pm 33rd over: The required run-rate is 4.99 now. Essex will need to accelerate to chase victory.
5:01pm 32nd over: James Tredwell finally come on to bowl - he must have wondered if he'd get a chance!
Flower happy to dab most of Tredwell's first over away. A couple beat him and Jones has the bails off... but Flower's still in his ground on both occasions..
4:58pm 31st over: Essex need 99 more runs to win.
First boundary in what seems like an age: Flower hitting into the off side.
Here's a look at Robbie Joseph's jig of joy after he got Cook out 4:53pm 30th over: Joseph still trying to find the extra pace he had earlier which earned him two wickets.
Wherever Joseph just looked was the wrong place - he bowls a wide.
4:50pm 29th over: Stevens is also keeping the batsman honest. The Eagles batsmen keep the scoreboard ticking over though. They're going to have to start taking a few more risks and scoring a few more runs if Essex are going to win the Trophy though.
4:47pm 28th over: Joseph not quite as zippy as before, but still keeping the scoring rate down.
4:43pm 27th over: Darren Stevens comes in for McLaren from the Nursery End.
The required run-rate is creeping up towards five and over.
4:40pm 26th over: The run-rate graphs for the two teams are almost exactly the same at this point. The whole match in the balance at the moment. Joseph is fired-up and firing - Flower and Foster at the crease for Essex with big hitting Napier still to come.
4:35pm 25th over: Joseph's figures flash up on the scoreboard at Lord's. Three overs, two wickets for just eight runs. Impressive indeed.
McLaren's bowling with extra zip now too it seems, inspired by Joseph perhaps? A little too fired up it seems - that one's a wide.
4:29pm 24th over: Joseph is dancing a jig mid-wicket, as Cook clips one to Stevens at mid-wicket.
Joseph and all the slips are up appealing for Foster's wicket first ball, LBW. The umpire resists the momentum though. Joseph has got the Spitfire's tails up now.
4:25pm 23rd over: It's in the balance now. Kent are right back in this with Bopara's wicket. The big-hitting Bopara was a real threat.
Flower's first runs, a boundary off McLaren.
4:18pm 22nd over: Robbie Joseph back on at the Pavilion End.
The change works, Joseph gets Bopara LBW.
Cook is batting patiently for Essex - click for more photos 4:18pm 21st over: Key will have to make changes again to keep Kent's momentum up.
4:12pm 20th over: Essex are 17 runs ahead of where Kent were at the 20 over stage. The Spitfires need wickets.
4:07pm 19th over: Cook survives a run-out chance, running a quick two. Almost not quick enough.
Essex are exceeding the required run-rate now. 4.4 an over to the required 4.2.
4:03pm 18th over: Arafat in for Mahmood from the Pavilion End.
A brave chase from the fielders, but that just makes it to the rope - four for Cook.
3:58pm 17th over: Kent are still very much in this. The Essex run-rate is 4.2. The required run-rate is 4.4.
McLaren gets one through Bopara but it misses everything.
3:53pm 16th over: A full slip cordon in this time, three of them - but the ball darts wide of them all for a single.
3:49pm 15th over: Cook gets away with an edge - no slips in and it runs for four.
Gallian loses his wicket to Mahmood - click for more photos 3:44pm 14th over: Bowled him! Gallian's gone to Mahmood, an inside edge onto his stumps, great bowling.
Two England players at the crease now for Essex, Cook joined by Ravi Bopara.
3:40pm 13th over: Key is changing things again, looking for a breakthrough. Joseph is off again and batting hero, Ryan McLaren is on.
Good stuff from McLaren, that slowed the scoring a bit - a maiden.
3:35pm 12th over: Bowling change - Mahmood back on, at the Pavilion End this time.
Mahmood called for a no ball again and these extras are not helping Kent's cause. Mahmood ostensibly marks out his run-up, again.
3:30pm 11th over: Robbie Joseph into the attack for Kent. Four more for Cook.
The Duckworth Lewis par score is 36 - Essex on 53 now. Key and Kent need to do something to shake things up.
3:27pm 10th over: Cook gets hold of that one and flashes it away into the off side for four.
3:25pm: TICKET NEWS: There will be a late gate today. Meaning, after 20 overs of Essex's innings, you can get in for just a tenner! £10 to see the conclusion of the Friends Provident Trophy Final? Watch the trophy lifted by (hopefully) the team you're backing? Get down here to Lord's!
3:19pm 9th over: Cook off the mark with a single but the run-rate has suddenly dipped - wickets tend to have that effect.
Gallian eases the pressure a little, driving Arafat for four.
3:15pm 8th over: Kent's tails are up again, Arafat bowling with some real zip.
3:10pm 7th over: A good long chase from Key prevents a four - inspiring stuff from the captain. Kent will need to field well.
Key might need to make a bowling change soon. The Eagles batsmen don't look overly concerned by these bowlers and are knocking off the runs confidently.
A thumping boundary from Pettini has the Essex fans cheering again.
Spitfire's fans turn to cheer now! Mahmood finally gets a decision and Pettini is gone LBW.
3:07pm 6th over: Five overs gone and Essex are five runs ahead of where Kent were at this stage. If the weather doom-mongers from earlier today are right, that could prove crucial.
Arafat makes a loud appeal for LBW against Gallian - but the umpire is unmoved.
3:01pm 5th over: Kent aren't happy with the ball, the umpires are giving a close inspection. We play on and Gallian is dinking and clipping it as the batsmen run quick ones and twos.
A sign of hope for Kent at last, as Mahmood beats the bat.
2:57pm 4th over: Captain Pettini is happy to take a back seat to Gallian's hitting at the moment.
2:52pm 3rd over: Upish from Gallian but wide of the bowler, Mahmood for the return catch and wide of long off too - four runs.
A couple of wides from Mahmood and he does not look a happy bowler at the moment.
2:47pm 2nd over: Yasir Arafat will bowl from the Pavilion End. The target run-rate is just over four runs an over (4.3 to be precise).
First boundary for Essex and it's Gallian scoring it to the off side.
2:43pm 1st over: Players are back on the field and it's Mark Pettini and Jason Gallian taking on the Kent attack, Azhar Mahmood opening the bowling.
One run for each batsman in the opening over.
2:02pm: Like the players, we're going to take a quick lunch break - but keep your emails coming in: Live@Lords.org.
Is the match Essex's to lose now? Can Kent's attack perform as well as the Essex bowlers? Who'll be the star of the second innings? Perhaps an Essex batsman, Alistair Cook maybe? Or a Kent bowler? James Tredwell?
1:56pm 50th over: Last over of the innings. After their rocky start, Kent will have been pleased just to make it past 200 but it's been a great bowling performance from Essex.
Bopara to bowl the last six balls. First ball and Gallian should have caught McLaren... but dropped it!
Joseph does his job and gets the one run to get McLaren back on strike.
McLaren goes for the big hit off the last ball (as he had to really) and Bopara clean bowls him.
1:52pm 49th over: Another one down, in the penultimate over. Crazy running from new batsman James Tredwell and he's run out without facing a ball!
Robbie Joseph is a batsman only in name... fishing at that one from Ten Doeschate.
1:46pm 48th over: McLaren gets under that one but it's over the fielder.
... and he moves Kent too 199. 200 up off the next ball and well batted Ryan McLaren. At one point it looked like Kent may not make it through their 50 overs.
They may not yet... Bopara's got Arafat swinging and missing.
1:44pm 47th over: More misfields from Essex as Kent crank up the pressure at the end of their innings.
1:40pm 46th over: Bopara got that a bit wrong on the release, almost pitching it directly to Foster's gloves. No ball.
Smart running again from Kent and they steal another run.
1:35pm 45th over: McLaren is edging towards his fifty - he's batted responsibly lower down the order.
1:31pm 44th over: Kent will do well to get much over 200 runs here. Essex will be delighted if they can keep them to less than that.
1:28pm 43rd over: Arafat gives that one some air - but it's safe short of Cook and long off.
1:26pm 42nd over: A sharp run-out chance as McLaren sends Arafat back to the non-strikers end... but Ten Doeschate's throw misses.
1:22pm 41st over: More neat singles from Kent but nothing spectacular - seven wickets down is not really the time for 'spectacular'.
1:19pm 40th over: Ravi Bopara back on at the Pavilion End.
We're into the last ten overs now, Kent 156-7, the run-rate still a shade under four an over.
1:15pm 39th over: Kaneria back on at the Nursery End. A messy misfield concedes four runs and has Kaneria with his hands on his hips.
1:11pm 38th over: McLaren the senior batsman at the crease now and will need to get a big total to help Kent. Good running means Arafat's off the mark with a three.
1:06pm 37th over: Van Jaarsveld looks settled by his fifty and scores a well timed four.
And then he's out! Trying too hard on that one he just thumps it skywards and Alistair Cook takes the catch.
1:02pm 36th over: Graham Napier returns too - he and Wright both took wickets earlier.
There's Van Jaarsveld's 50, warmly applauded here at Lord's - he's kept Kent in the game.
His half-century coming from 69 balls, including three fours.
12:58pm 35th over: There is the change, Chris Wright back in the attack, from the Nursery End this time. Van Jaarsveld just a run from his 50.
12:55pm 34th over: An evenly balanced over, no real danger to the batsmen, time for a bowling change perhaps?
12:51pm 33rd over: McLaren has settled quickly and is picking up the run-rate again for Kent.
12:48pm 32nd over: Van Jaarsveld inches closer to his half century.
12:44pm 31st over: McLaren picks the gap and smears Kaneria away for four through mid off.
12:41pm 30th over: A streaky edge gets McLaren off the mark - it flies just wide of Foster and goes all the way for four.
12:36pm 29th over: There it is. 100 up for Kent, fittingly, Van Jaarsveld making the landmark run - he's been Kent's best batsman by a mile.
As if to prove the point, Mahmood is out next ball, hoiking Kaneria to a grateful Grant Flower at long off.
12:33pm 28th over: Kaneria gets a big cheer as he trots back to field at third man. Just as Kent looked settled, another wicket fell.
Van Jaarsveld into the 40s as Kent chase the 100 runs landmark.
12:30pm 27th over: The chants of "Essex! Essex!" go up again as Kaneria gets Jones with a neat top spinner, trapping him LBW.
12:24pm 26th over: A double change: Ryan Ten Doeschate on at the Pavilion End. More ones and twos from the Dutchman's bowling.
We're over halfway through the overs now, Kent 91-4.
12:22pm 25th over: Bopara's off again. His two overs cost 15 runs, too expensive at the moment. Spinner, Danish Kaneria comes on.
12:18pm 24th over: The scoreboard ticking over but the run-rate is still below four an over.
12:15pm 23rd over: Bopara's medium pace is yet to cause the batsmen any real trouble. They're picking up ones, twos and the odd boundary like that one from Jones.
12:11pm 22nd over: Great stop by Bopara has Van Jaarsveld stopping and starting down the wicket. A direct hit would have run him out... but he just misses.
12:07pm 21st over: England all-rounder Ravi Bopara on to replace Masters at the Nursery End. Jones pulls him away for four more to the total.
12:04pm 20th over: Jones is off the mark at last, with a four.
Kemp loses his wicket - click for more photos 12:03pm: Look away Kent fans... another great snap here: Justin Kemp captured at the exact moment he heard his wickets clatter.
11:59am 19th over: Van Jaarsveld has a heavy weight on his shoulders now, to save the Kent innings. He's thriving though, playing Masters straight back down the ground for four.
That's the end of Master's bowling, 2-34 his figures from some great bowling.
11:53am 18th over: Stevens just gives his wicket away. A big swish at a wide one from Wright and Foster can't believe his luck behind the stumps.
Stevens gone for a duck. Kent are in real trouble.
11:48am 17th over: A ninth over for Masters, looks like they're going to bowl him through.
Great decision too! He's bowling brilliantly - cleaning up Kemp who swings and misses and loses his off stump!
Kemp was looking skywards, going for the big hit but he's looking to the heavens as he hears his stumps clatter behind him.
11:43am 16th over: Fifty up for Kent. Van Jaarsveld and Kemp finally getting some balls they can hit, from Wright.
Kemp's freeing his arms now too, swinging at that one. A little too much height on it and it drops short of the Pavilion before rolling over the rope for four.
11:40am 15th over: Masters is still bowling some totally unplayable balls.
11:38am: Much discontent here in the Investec Media Centre amongst the Kent press. They're not pleased with their team's start.
What do you make of it? Kent fans can you turn this around? Van Jaarsveld surely has the talent. Essex fans, where's your next wicket coming from? Send us your emails: Live@Lords.org.
11:34am 14th over: First bowling change of the match and Chris Wright comes on for Napier from the Pavilion End.
Van Jaarsveld welcomes him to the game by clipping him away off his legs for four.
11:31am 13th over: David Masters is positively steaming in to bowl at the moment, despite it being his 7th over of the day. His run up is so long he almost starts underneath where we're sat, in the Investec Media Centre.
He arcs his run-up, from over at mid-wicket and captain, Pettini, before commencing the usual seamers' run-up.
11:27am 12th over: We're in the second powerplay of the day and Essex are still keeping the run-rate down.
Napier celebrates - click for more match photos 11:24am 11th over: We've got some great match action coming in from our on-the-spot photographer, Matt Bright. Here's Graham Napier celebrating the wicket of Joe Denly.
Kent's run rate is just 3.1 at the moment, hardly electric but they'll be pleased to have stopped the flurry of wickets.
11:19am 10th over: Napier has Van Jaarsveld flashing at one and it flies just over the leaping Grant Flower at square leg. Four runs.
11:17am 9th over: Neat and tidy again from the batsmen, steadying the rocking Spitfires' ship.
11:14am 8th over: Van Jaarsveld is a dangerman for Kent - the top run-scorer in the Friends Provident Trophy this season. Essex are in the ascendency so far though.
Eagles 'keeper James Foster is like a jack rabbit, the number of bouncing appeals he's made this morning.
11:11am 7th over: Kemp and Van Jaarsveld at the crease now and Kent badly need for them to settle their innings. They do just that, occupying the crease for now. Steady batting.
11:03am 6th over: Van Jaarsveld has to look sharp early as they run a very sharp two.
Discontent from the Kent press in the Investec Media Centre - it looks like Key's 'edge' might have been him hitting his own pad.
Essex are bouncing! Napier gets one clean through the gate and Denly's gone too.
10:58am 5th over: Key's first boundary as he plays Masters away for four... and plays and misses at the very next ball.
There's the first wicket! Key's out. Foster, stood up to the wicket takes a smart catch and the skipper's gone.
10:55am 4th over: Key's off the mark now too, dink one to mid-off and running a quick single.
10:51am 3rd over: Runs - at last. Denly trots down the wicket and lofts Masters back down the ground for four.
Another appeal on the next ball and Denly is rapped on the pads but he got an edge to that one I think.
Another boundary now for Denly as he steps across his stumps to whack Masters into the leg side for four.
10:47am 2nd over: Graham Napier will bowl from the Pavilion End to Rob Key.
Key is holding his bat like a baseball player at times, he's obviously keen to get going, but Napier's holding his line and there's nothing doing for the batsmen.
Napier's skipping down the wicket appealing for Key's wicket, LBW. Once again the umpire is unmoved.
Another maiden over and Mark Pettini will be pleased with his Essex side's start.
10:45am 1st over: David Masters opens the bowling for Essex, Denly on strike. Masters starts well, almost tempting Denly outside his off stump.
Denly is all smiles as he prods forwards and misses at the first three balls of the match. Masters is making a good start. Denly gets bat to that one and has to have very soft wrists to drop it short of the slips.
Finally Denly gets hold of one but drills it at a diving Ten Doeschate. Last ball of the over and Masters is appealing for an edge! Not out the verdict. Great start from Masters.
10:41am: Here come the teams. Barely a spare seat in the house and most of the fans are on their feet to welcome their side onto the field. Essex in their dark blue tops and blue trousers, Kent in all navy with grey trim. Both look very smart!
10:40am: There's the five minute bell... the butterflies will be really fluttering in the players' stomachs now. We're moments away from the first ball of the Friends Provident Trophy Final.
10:33am: Send us your emails - where do you think the key battles will be today? The two captains will open their respective teams' batting and both will be crucial to their sides' run-scoring.
We've got two England capped wicketkeepers behind the stumps. Geraint Jones is, arguably the better batsman and James Foster the better 'keeper but which would you have in your team?
And Danish Kaneria? Or James Tredwell? Let us know what you think: Live@Lords.org.
10:26am: Team news:
Confirmed teams are:
Mark Pettini
Alistair Cook
Grant Flower
Ravi Bopara
Ryan ten Doeschate
Graham Napier
James Foster
Jason Gallian
Chris Wright
David Masters
Danish Kaneria
Joe Denly
Robert Key
Martin van Jaarsveld
Justin Kemp
Darren Stevens
Geraint Jones
Ryan McLaren
James Tredwell
Rob Joseph
Azhar Mahmood
Yasir Arafat
10:19am: Toss news - Kent skipper Key calls it right and he elects to bat. Odds are it'll be Key himself and Denly opening up at Lord's against the Essex attack.
10:08am: The Lord's outfield is a flurry of activity now. Both teams out there warming up.
Kent's England Lions: James Tredwell, Joe Denly and captain, Rob Key will be keen to impress. The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offices are just yards away from the pitch here at Lord's. A good time to impress the selectors, in a showpiece final.
9:53am: Latest team news: Both teams have been out on the Nursery Ground, practicing this morning. Good news for Spitfires fans, Yasir Arafat has taken a full part in practice and looks fit to start.
England opener Alistair Cook has been practicing with Essex too.
Following the game with us? Who are you supporting? Gunning for the Spitfires? Or hoping to see the Eagles soar? Send us your comments, questions, words of support or just plain banter: Live@Lords.org.
9:51am: Morning cricket fans. Welcome back to Lord's and the Lords.org live text service.
Once again, the weather doom-mongers have had this match written off to rain and once again Lord's, seemingly with it's own micro-climate has defied them. It's a little windy but the clouds overhead are white and fluffy rather than dark and gloomy. Fingers crossed but we should be starting on time.
Stay with us on Lords.org for all the latest action, news and your emails, comments, banter and questions.
Gates open: 8:45am
Start scheduled: 10:45am
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A commemorative Friends Provident Final first day cover - £12.50
