Flower stars for Essex

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Thirty-seven-year-old Flower, brother of England batting coach Andy, oversaw a composed chase of 215 after mid-innings wickets left his young side on 93 for four.

He finished unbeaten on 70 as Essex gained revenge for their defeat to Kent in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup last month.

When Essex lost England pair Ravi Bopara and Alastair Cook in consecutive Robbie Joseph overs, momentum appeared to be switching towards Robert Key's team.

But Zimbabwean Flower nudged the ball into gaps and ran his opponents ragged in a 68-run stand with James Foster, in which his partner's share was just 18.

That fifth-wicket alliance broke the back of the pursuit and Flower did not allow the required run-rate to get much beyond five per over even after the loss of Foster, who became the third victim of the lively Joseph.

Any late-innings nerves were quelled when, with 26 required from the final five overs, Ryan ten Doeschate helped a delivery from Yasir Arafat off his pads and down the Lord's slope for four.

Flower, who clipped, cut and dabbed his way to a 73-ball 50, fittingly sealed the success by lofting a full toss from Azhar Mahmood over mid-on for four.