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Essex reach FP Trophy Final

05/07/2008

Alastair Cook and Graham Napier were the heroes as Essex booked their place in the final of the Friends Provident Trophy with an 87-run victory over Yorkshire at Chelmsford.

Cook produced a sturdy innings with the bat scoring 95 from 127 balls, while Napier fired a magnificent 61 from 34 balls. Essex finished their innings with a score of 285-8 with Naved-ul-Hasan the pick of their bowlers with figures of 2-41.

Andrew Gale and Anthony McGrath both scored half-centuries as Yorkshire made a fist of trying to catch the Essex total, but failed to keep up with the required-rate.

With the rate reaching nine-an-over Yorkshire were left with no option but to try and slug it out, but the wickets kept falling and they ended well short of the total at 198 all out.

For Essex Danish Kaneria and Ryan ten Doeschate took three wickets each as they comfortably secured their place in the final, where they will meet Kent, who dispatched cup holders Durham on Friday. The final will take place at Lord's on August 16.