Following two total abandonments, Essex started their Benson & Hedges Cup series of zonal matches at Canterbury in winning vein, claiming victory by two runs against Kent.

Saturday's potentially attractive fixture between Essex, the current B & H holders and Surrey, winners of the County Championship last year, was called off at 1.45pm after heavy rain both overnight and during the early hours of the morning had left the outfield and wicket surrounds sodden.

Further persistent rain shortly after the formal abandonment summed up the soggy situation.

It was a similar verdict on the playing area on Sunday at Lord's where Essex had been scheduled to meet Middlesex although frustratingly, the sun shone all day but to no avail with the game called off at 2.30pm after the third inspection had revealed no significant improvement in playing conditions.

Kent had also been denied the chance of playing because of the inclement weather and so both sides were keen when the teams met on Tuesday.

The toss was made, with Essex invited to bat, but five minutes before the start time, rain started to fall.

However, it did abate and with positive attitudes adopted by umpires and both teams, a start was made at 1.10pm with the match reduced to 39 overs per side.

Essex were immediately in trouble sliding to 18 for three inside nine overs including the loss of their 'big guns' Nasser Hussain for 12 and Stuart Law for one.

It was Ronnie Irani who answered the call underpinning the revival of the innings and he found a staunch ally in Stephen Peters as the pair colluded a fifth wicket partnership worth 49 runs before Irani departed for 37.

The bludgeoning bat of Danny Law added 34 runs from 24 deliveries as he and Peters collared 55 runs in five overs before Peters, who had played stylishly interspersing wristy shots with some full blooded drives, was dismissed for 42.

With 90 runs collared from the last nine overs, Essex reached a challenging 175 for eight, and were immediately offered encouragement when opening bowler Irani struck in his first over.

Kent had reached 50 when two further wickets fell - in the space of four deliveries - but Allan Wells and Mark Falham remained batted their side back into contention despite falling behind the required run rate.

At 138 for four that still needed 38 runs from five overs, although with wickets remaining, this was not necessarily a tall order, but steady Essex bowling left the home side requiring 16 from Mark Ilott's final over the innings with six wickets still intact.

Seven runs were gleaned from the first four deliveries before a huge six from the penultimate delivery changed the complexion of the game to leave the crowd on tenterhooks.

The dependable Ilott though produced the perfect reposte to Ealham's assault by spreadeagling the Kent player's stumps to send Essex to victory.

Afterwards, skipper Hussain said, "We are naturally very pleased. It was a crucial toss to lose but we batted really sensibly and I was delighted with Stephen Peters and Danny Law.

''We had an old head in Ronnie Irani to guide us through and got 92 off the last nine overs.

''I told Danny Law to go out and express himself and hit the ball into Row Z. We needed to bowl well and Ilott and Irani did a good job."

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