PCA Masters v Essex Eagles (Match 1)
Chelmsford on a warm sunny September evening was the magnificent scene for the PCA Masters second match in the Floodlit Twenty20 Cup competition. The Masters had won their opening encounter at Derby and were full of optimism for another upset against Essex.
Home Captain Mark Pettini won the toss and elected to bat first and openers Pettini and Chopra got off to a cautious start against some excellent swing bowling from Azhar Mahmood and Martin Bicknell.
Pettini was first to go with the score on just five. Chopra was then joined by hard hitting all rounder James Middlebrook and the pair put on 49 for the second wicket before Chopra was caught at long on for 25.
Middlebrook and Grant Flower then started to up the pace before Flower also perished in the deep during a tidy spell of bowling from Chris Lewis and Dean Headley. James Foster came to the crease with the score on 64-3 and proceeded to hit the ball to all parts of the ground with a mixture of power and elegance, making 47 off just 23 deliveries. With Middlebrook joining him back in the shed, a late flourish from Napier and Phillips saw Essex reach a respectable 161-7.
The PCA Masters opening pair of Knight and Spearman went off at cracking pace with Spearman taking a particular liking to the Essex opening attack of Tudor and Palladino, until he was caught in the deep off the bowling of Middlebrook for 35 off 23 balls with the score on 47.
The introduction of spin put the brakes on the PCA Masters innings with Middlebrook and Grant Flower bowling very well in tandem and between them accounting for the wickets of Knight, Campbell and Lewis. Some powerful hitting from Mahmood and Dutch gave a glimmer of hope but when Mahmood was dismissed for 26 (18 balls) Dutch and Bicknell had too much to do in the dying overs, with the Masters finishing on 143-6.
The PCA Masters would like to extend a big thanks to Essex CCC, their supporters and players for the usual high standards both on and off the pitch in putting on a very entertaining evening.
PCA Masters XI v Essex Eagles
Nick Knight
Craig Spearman
Sherwin Campbell
Chris Lewis
Azhar Mahmood
Paul Prichard
Keith Dutch
Martin Bicknell
Ismail Dawood
Dean Headley
Peter Such
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