Ravinder Bopara played the starring role as Essex lifted themselves off the bottom of the National League First Division table at Chelmsford last night with a 35-run victory over Hampshire.
Recalled to the side for his first competitive game of the summer, the England Under-19 star hit an unbeaten 40 from as many deliveries to lead Essex to a total of 211 for four, and followed it up with two crucial wickets in the couple of overs he sent down.
It was too much for Hampshire who were bowled out for 176 in the 41st over and denied the victory which would have taken them to the top of the table with Glamorgan.
Bopara is rated one of the most talented youngsters on the staff and it is an open secret that he has been frustrated at not being selected before now. But he has now grabbed his opportunity in style to give the selectors food for thought.
All Bopara's runs came during an unbroken partnership of 68 in 10 overs with James Foster and the fact that he found the boundary on only three occasions illustrates just how adept he was at working the ball into the gaps.
Foster also batted superbly for his 46 from 59 deliveries, the pair joining forces after skipper Ronnie Irani was dismissed in comical circumstances -- not that he would have found it funny.
After gathering 31 at exactly a run-a-ball, he called for a runner because he suffered a back spasm.
Two deliveries later he turned Shaun Udal to backward square leg and astonished everyone by charging down the pitch with Alastair Cook, his runner, alongside him.
Realising his error, the Essex captain turned and tried to make his ground but before he did so wicketkeeper Nic Pothas gathered John Crawley's throw to complete the run out.
Earlier, Will Jefferson and Andy Flower had launched the Essex innings with an opening partnership of 59 in 13 overs, while Irani - later helped Foster - add 51 for the fourth wicket before his moment of madness.
Darren Gough wasted no time in making his presence felt when Hampshire set off in search of victory.
He found the edge of Derek Kenway's bat with his fourth delivery, Foster accepting the catch, and his next over saw Nic Pothas chopping the ball into his stumps.
Those dismissals came with only three runs on the board, but Crawley and Mike Clarke then put the game back in the melting pot with a partnership of 65 in 13 overs.
Published Wednesday June 9, 2004
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