While yet another defeat for Sussex leaves them without a Twenty20 win this campaign, victory improved Essex's chances of qualification for the quarter-finals after their own poor start. The Eagles restricted the Sharks to a manageable total before a brilliant cameo from Graham Napier and a well-judged innings by Grant Flower saw them home with time to spare.

Essex had managed only three runs from the first two overs, losing Jason Gallian to a good catch at backward point, but that dismissal was to prove beneficial for them. As many as 28 were plundered off the next two overs, most of them crashed with an exciting flourish by Napier.

He began by pulling Robin Martin-Jenkins for six into the pavilion, where the ball struck an unfortunate, middle-aged woman on the head, causing her to be led away from her seat.

In the next over, bowled by James Kirtley, Napier struck four on-side fours, including one swashbuckling pull over long-on. Dwayne Smith, replacing Kirtley at the Sea End, was swung for two leg-side sixes by Napier in an over that cost 20, but at least brought him the all-rounder's wicket courtesy of a well-taken catch by Martin-Jenkins at deep backward square.

Essex, though, had gained crucial momentum from a second-wicket stand of 47 in four overs, Napier's 37 taking only 18 balls. The Eagles were left needing 66 from the last ten overs with seven wickets in hand, a routine assignment in any form of one-day cricket.

Sussex were constricted primarily by some tight bowling from Danish Kaneria, who quickly removed Chris Adams and conceded only 18 from his four overs. Just when Sussex threatened to make a total in excess of 160, they lost their last seven wickets for 21 off 21 balls.

Scoreboard

Sussex
C D Nash lbw b Napier 1
M W Goodwin b Kaneria 47
D R Smith c Foster b Chambers 28
*C J Adams lbw b Kaneria 2
M J Prior c Middlebrook b Masters 35
M H Yardy c Gallian b Masters 0
C D Hopkinson c Kaneria b Ten Doeschate 4
R J Hamilton-Brown b Napier 13
R S C Martin-Jenkins not out 2
W A T Beer run out 0
R J Kirtley run out 0
Extras (lb 7, w 3, nb 2) 12

Total (20 overs) 144

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-46, 3-54, 4-123, 5-123, 6-126, 7-139, 8-143, 9-144.

Bowling: Napier 4-0-25-2; Masters 4-0-32-2; Chambers 1-0-6-1; Kaneria 4-0-18-2; Ten Doeschate 3-0-26-1; Middlebrook 2-0-13-0; Dexter 2-0-17-0.

Essex
V Chopra run out 18
J E R Gallian c Hopkinson b Kirtley 1
G R Napier c Martin-Jenkins b Smith 37
G W Flower not out 39
*J S Foster not out 41
Extras (lb 2, w 8) 10

Total (3 wkts, 17 overs) 146

N J Dexter, R N ten Doeschate, J D Middlebrook, D D Masters, M A Chambers and Danish Kaneria did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-49, 3-69.

Bowling: Martin-Jenkins 4-0-25-0; Kirtley 3-0-33-1; Smith 3-0-36-1; Yardy 3-0-24-0; Beer 4-0-26-0.

Umpires: N G Cowley and M J Harris.