Neil Whitaker Reports
ESSEX Eagles beat Yorkshire Carnegie by seven wickets with three and half overs left to book their place in the Clydesdale Bank 40 semi finals where they meet Somerset at Taunton next Saturday.
Eagles opener Alastair Cook carried his bat for 101 his first century in this seasons Clydesdale Bank 40 and he reached his century from 108 balls and he hit 10 fours and a six. It was a comprehensive victory for the Eagles as they out batted and out bowled the Carnegie on a good batting wicket. The Eagles skipper James Foster won the toss and decided to field.
Carnegie made 209 for eight in their 40 overs. Jacques Rudolph top scored with 59 and during his innings he became Yorkshire’s leading run scorer in the one day league by two runs. For the Eagles, skipper Foster claimed four victims while David Masters took four wickets for 41 in his eight overs.
The Eagles got an early breakthrough in the fifth over when their skipper Foster stumped his counterpart Andrew Gale for six off Masters. Two overs later, Foster standing up to Masters caught Adam Lyth for five.
Anthony McGrath was the next to go when he miscued a drive off Toni Palladino and Alastair Cook took the catch above head height at cover for 12.
Rudolph’s 59 came from 68 balls in 104 minutes with three fours before he got a thick edge to Chris Wright and Foster easily took the catch. Rudolph shared in a fourth wicket partnership of 82 with Gerard Brophy in 15 overs.
Brophy was the next to go bowled off his pads by Ryan ten Doeschate the ball after he reached his half century. His 52 came from 65 balls with three fours in 72 minutes.
Adil Rashid tried to pull Masters but the ball was too far up to him to do that and was bowled for 18. Next ball Masters trapped Richard Pyrah leg before for a golden duck. Jonny Bairstow became Foster’s fourth victim when he was brilliantly caught down the leg side off Wright for 30 off 22 balls with two sixes.
Chasing 210 to win the Eagles openers Mark Pettini and Cook got off to a quick start and raced to 40 without loss in eight overs. The both of them stroked the ball around gracefully and they both picked the boundaries with regularity. They both reached their fifties from 57 balls, but Cook hit five fours and Pettini hit five fours. At the halfway stage Essex were 110 for none.
From the first ball of the 21st over Pettini hit David Wainwright for a straight six into the football stand, seven overs later he hit Wainwright for another straight six this time into the Carnegie Pavilion. The partnership was broken on 161 when Pettini flashed at a wide one from Ben Sanderson and was caught by Brophy for 81. His 81 included two sixes, six fours and came from 86 balls. Three balls later Flower was leg before to Sanderson for a duck.
Matthew Walker hit a huge six off Pyrah through extra cover and into the north east stand. Later he flat batted Pyrah for another six into the same stand. Walker was trapped leg before to a low one from Pyrah for 19.
The Carnegie will now play Warwickshire Bears at Scarborough in the semi final next Saturday.
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