Cricket: Flower show not enough

A spirited performance by Andy Flower gave the visitors some semblance of hope, but they finished 31 runs short of the 269 target.

Flower provided the backbone of the Essex innings, batting for almost 34 overs to score a well-fashioned 70 runs after both openers had perished in the first over.

He figured in three half-century partnerships, firstly with Mark Pettini, who scored 26 out of a stand worth 60 runs in 13 overs to give the innings a boost after the woeful start.

Pettini was trapped on the front foot by James Ormond before Graham Napier struck out in typical powerful fashion, hitting 29 from 23 deliveries with a six and four other boundaries before he chased a wide delivery and edged a catch to the wicket-keeper.

His wicket fell with the scoreboard showing 120-4 but Paul Grayson joined Flower in another half-century partnership to give their side a sniff of victory.

With 15 overs remaining, another 105 runs were needed but they were parted when Grayson picked out Mark Ramprakash at short extra cover to end a stand that had realised 64 runs in 10 overs.

Now left with only the tail for company, Flower went in the next over, the 34th, although it took a brilliant diving catch at point off a full-blooded drive to end his involvement.

An innings that had begun disastrously with the loss of Will Jefferson to the first ball delivered by Zaheer Khan and Alastair Cook to the final ball of the over then succumbed after the loss of the influential Flower in nine more overs.

Surrey's total of 268 all out was indebted to a dashing innings from opener Scott Newman who dominated the strike early on reaching his half-century having faced 41 of the first 58 deliveries sent down by the Essex attack.

He continued to dominate the opposition bowlers and reached 106, his career-best one-day score, before trying an expansive drive to Andy Clarke and was bowled.

Published Monday May 24, 2004

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