ESSEX strengthened their challenge for the Twenty20 Cup with an emphatic victory against Kent on Monday.
Star of the day was Grant Flower who crashed 61 from 30 balls after openers Alistair Cook (77) and Mark Pettini (40) had set Essex on the way to a challenging total of 205 for four.
For a while it looked as if Kent, the division’s other unbeaten side, were on course to overhaul them as Martin van Jaarsveld (33) and Geraint Jones (26) took them to 88 for two.
But Flower stepped back into the spotlight and in a spell of three for 26 removed both men as Kent were restricted to 169-7.
The win takes them level on seven points with Kent at the top of the division with a game in hand.