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Search forEssex crush Yorkshire again
Thursday, July 17, 2008, 16:03
Having won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, the county were relegated last season after gaining only one victory from their eight matches but the nature of their success against the Tykes shows that they are determined to endure the shortest of stays in the Second Division.
Essex wicket-keeper James Foster agreed that the win was exactly the start the country was looking for in their quest for promotion.
“The league season in this competition only spans eight matches and it's important to hit the winning thread early on,” he said.
“We were hurt by our relegation last season and promotion was always high on our agenda this time around and the way we have been playing One-Day cricket this year gives us hope that we can achieve our aim.
“We won the title two years running and it would be nice to give ourselves the opportunity to regain our crown in 2009 in what, I understand, could be the final year of the competition.”
Having won the toss, Yorkshire were bowled out for 157 and Essex captain Mark Pettini showed the inadequacy of that score paving the way for victory for his side with a stylish 57 from 73 balls.
Graham Napier continued his fine One-Day form with 46 from 43 deliveries, hoisting Rana Naved over the mid-wicket boundary to the eighth ball of his innings.
That proved to be the only maximum blow by the all-rounder but he did strike another seven boundaries in his 63 runs partnership with his skipper for the second wicket to give the home side a firm grip on proceedings.
The only substantial contributions in the Yorkshire innings came from Naved and Darren Gough and only one other batsman reached double figures as the visitors suffered another heavy reverse for the second time within two weeks at Chelmsford.
Naved, sent in as pinch-hitter following the departure of Andrew Gale in the opening over, struck three of his six fours from successive Napier deliveries and also clubbed three sixes.
He was finally undone after an aggressive 57 from 64 balls when offering a low return catch to Danish Kaneria and Yorkshire lost their ninth wicket in the 25th over with only 113 on the board.
A last-wicket stand between Gough and David Wainwright produced 44 runs, the best of the innings, to add a semblance of respectability to the total with Gough contributing 33 before he fell victim to another smart return catch, this time by Ryan ten Doeschate.
However, Gough, the charismatic former England fast bowler, who spent three years with Essex had little else to cheer him. He missed the target when fielding and saw the ball race to the boundary for four overthrows, then made an awful attempt at a catch at deep mid-on when Napier had scored only 14 before pulling up after two deliveries after introducing himself into the attack. That forced him off for treatment although he did return.
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WINNING STREAK: Essex continued their excellent One-Day form with a win against Yorkshire in the opening game of the Pro-40 competition. Danish Kaneria (centre) is congratulated by team-mates after taking the wicket of Rudolph
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