Congratulations to Somerset, deserved winners on the day.
LOOKING FORWARD: The Eagles travel to Cardiff to face Glamorgan later this week before returning to Chelmsford to play Middlesex next wednesday.
ALL OUT: Essex are all out for 111, falling 114 runs short of the target.
WICKET: AMIR, BOWLED WALLER, STUMPED BANTON.
OVER 12: Essex take 16 from the over.
5-FER: ROELOF VAN DER MERWE.
WICKET: BEARD, BOWLED VAN DER MERWE, CAUGHT OVERTON.
OVER 11: With Captain Harmer departing the task is left to Beard and Zampa. Essex sit on 93-8.
WICKET: HARMER, BOWLED WALLER, CAUGHT ABELL.
OVER 10: Roelof Van Der Merwe has blown the middle order apart with 3 wickets in 4 balls. A serious uphill battle awaits the Eagles.
WICKET: WALTER, LBW VAN DER MERWE.
WICKET BOPARA, BOWLED VAN DER MERWE, CAUGHT BANTON.
WICKET: TEN DOESCHATE, BOWLED VAN DER MERWE, CAUGHT ABELL.
OVER 9: The experienced heads of Ravi and Tendo are at the crease with Essex on 87-4.
WICKET: LAWRENCE, BOWLED WALLER, CAUGHT OVERTON
OVER 8: The Eagles had began to tuck into Roelof Van Der Merwe’s bowling, however the spinner struck in the penultimate ball of his over.
WICKET: WHEATER, BOWLED VAN DER MERWE, CAUGHT HILDRETH.
OVER 7: Some excellent running between Wheater and Lawrence sees Essex get to 61-2.
OVER 6: The fifty is up for the Eagles who are battling hard against an efficient Somerset outfit.
Always great to see the All-Stars taking in some Vitality Blast action
OVER 5: Essex Eagles are on 43-2. Wheater and Lawrence at the crease.
WICKET: WESTLEY, BOWLED OVERTON, CAUGHT WALLER.
OVER 4: The Eagles had made a strong start before the important wicket of Delport was taken with the final ball.
WICKET: DELPORT, BOWLED GROENEWALD, CAUGHT ABELL
OVER 3: The eagles take 10 from Craig Overton’s first over.
OVER 2: The openers take a watchful approach to Taylor’s first few balls before hitting 3 boundaries off the final 3 balls. Essex Eagles 20-0 after 2.
OVER 1: A decent start for the Eagles who take 8 from the opening over.
THE OPENERS: Westley and Delport stride out, looking to make the most of the important power play period.
The key man in the chase. A big innings from Delport will be huge for the Eagles.
INNINGS: Somerset post a commanding 225-6. Essex will need to bat well to secure back-to-back victories.
OVER 19: Somerset bring up their 200. The west-country outfit are 205-6.
Babar Azam had scored a very classy 50 before the Eagles finally removed him.
WICKET: VAN DER MERWE, BOWLED AMIR, CAUGHT WHEATER.
OVER 18: Byrom had teed off aggressively scoring a very quick 44 before Zampa removed the Somerset youngster. Somerset are on 192-5 with just 12 balls left.
WICKET: BYROM, BOWLED ZAMPA, CAUGHT BOPARA
OVER 17: Amir returns but Somerset continue to accelerate. Score sits at 174-4.
OVER 16: Ravi finishes his excellent spell with figures of 18-3 from his 4 overs.
WICKET: AZAM, BOWLED BOPARA, CAUGHT HARMER.
OVER 15: Harmer changes ends, but unfortunately Somerset don’t change their approach as they take 10 from the over.
FIFTY: BABAR AZAM, 37 BALLS
Fans are doing all they can to watch this enthralling battle.
OVER 14: Dan Lawrence has his first bowl since the the Blast game at Lord’s, his first over going for 7.
OVER 13: Zampa strikes, removing the dangerous Tom Abell. Somerset remain well poised however on a score of 132-3.
WICKET: ABELL, BOWLED ZAMPA, STUMPED WHEATER.
OVER 12: Harmer comes back into the attack, but the change does not have the desired affect for the Eagles. The over going for 24, largely down to some clean striking from Somerset’s captain Tom Abell.
It appears as if captain Harmer will need a clever plan to remove Babar Azam.
OVER 11: Ravi continues to plough away, Somerset remain resolute however. The score is 104-2.
OVER 10: Beard bowls the over that takes us to the half-way mark. Somerset accelerating well and getting to 97-2.
OVER 9: The crowd are delighted to see Ravi come back into the attack, and with good reason as his second over goes for 4 giving him impressive figures of 5-2 thus far.
OVER 8: Captain Harmer is into the attack, Somerset still have the dangerous Babar Azam at the crease and his wicket will be key to this contest.
OVER 7: Zampa comes back into the attack, conceding 9 runs.
With the power play over Adam Zampa will look to strike.
OVER 6: Amir bowls his second over. Somerset sit on 60-2.
OVER 5: Ravi comes into the attack and gives the Eagles just what they need, taking 2 wickets and conceding just one run. First Banton went, playing one too many shots, before Hildreth was caught by a superb catch from Paul Walter.
WICKET: HILDRETH, BOWLED BOPARA, CAUGHT WALTER
WICKET: BANTON, BOWLED BOPARA, CAUGHT ZAMPA
OVER 4: Essex continue to mix and match their bowlers, Paul Walter bowling the 4th over. Somerset are relentless however and bring up their 50.
OVER 3: Zampa enters the attack, the Somerset batsmen appeared cautious at first before eventually taking the over for 12 runs.
OVER 2: Aaron Beard opens up from the other end where Somerset opener Tom Banton shows his class hitting 5 consecutive boundaries in an over that went for 22.
OVER 1: Amir bowls the first over tightly, going for just 5. A crisp 4 from fellow Pakistani Babar Azam the only shot of note in the over.
THE SIDES ARE ENTERING THE FIELD: Essex are led out by Simon Harmer, hoping to make it two wins in two.
Ravi is back in the side and fans will be hoping he contributes with bat and ball.
TEAM NEWS: Somerset select a side including young talent Tom Banton as well as Pakistan national team player Babar Azam. Essex make one change from the side that won at Gloucester picking Ravi Bopara ahead of Shane Snater.
TOSS NEWS: Somerset win the toss and elect to bat. The Eagles will field first.
AN HOUR TO GO: The ground is beginning to fill with fans ready for this exciting fixture between the Eagles and Somerset. Team news due shortly.
WEATHER OUTLOOK: The sun is now shining at the Cloudfm County Ground following a brief but heavy shower. Play is due to start at 7 as expected still with no rain expected throughout the evening and into the night.
Welcome to The Cloudfm County Ground, where Essex Eagles take on Somerset in the Vitality Blast, with Simon Harmer’s side searching for back to back wins for the first time in the competition following last week’s victory over Gloucestershire.
