That really is it everyone – thank you for a wonderful season. Onward to the next!
Mystery shrouding why Colin Graves didn’t present the trophy, but for now a drink to Surrey, losers here but worthy champions.
Wow! Ryan Ten Doeschate 53 not out – one of the innings of the season from him in one of the matches of many a season. No world record for Surrey then, but bravo to worthy champions and to Essex for holding their nerve.
A tickle from Ten Doeschate off Dernbach to the boundary. What a game! The players embrace and shake hands in the middle.
Dernbach to Ten Doeschate – Two/one wicket needed.
Quinn somehow parries down a snorter from Morkel short of Patel at silly mid off.
A new helmet comes out, but it’s not for Quinn but Ryan Patel who crouches down close to Quinn.
Umpires call the physio out because the hit was on the back of the helmet. All seems ok. We move on . Two/one wicket needed. Morkel to Quinn.
Morkel to Quinn -yikes – it hits him .
Ah, a miscalculation. They can only take one to Virdi’s arm. Two needed…three balls left of Morkel’s over.
They run two. Three needed.
They nick a single off the last ball of the over, despite Quinn tripping over Dernbach. Ten Doeschate to face Morkel’s over. Five needed.
They scamper two – 6 needed.
Dernbach to Ten Doeschate…they turn down the single…
Quinn looks like a wobbly foal who has somehow found himself in the wrong paddock.
Eight/one wicket needed.
10 needed. This has been epic by Ten Doeschate. Oh my, A RUN- OUT, Ten Doeshcate runs out Coles!
Four runs to Coles off Dernbach, nudged just left of gully. 12/2 wickets needed
Not tea. Dernbach resumes.
Tea? No? Umpires having a chat. 16 needed.
Morkel to bowl the last over before tea. Should Surrey lose – it will be their first defeat of the season. 20 needed/2 wickets. Ten Doeschate 37, Coles 0.
Some nice stattage here:
Coles is totally beaten for pace by Morkel, then Foakes tries to run him out. Survived both. End of Morkel’s over.
MORKELLED! Porter lbw 4. 21/two wickets needed.
Tea 15 minutes away. 22 runs or 3 wickets needed. Anyone?
The county chairman are locked away here today to decide upon formats/divisions etc. Hope they’ve had a chance to glance at proceedings on the pitch just to remind themselves, of what cricket can be.
A Porter clip beats Virdi to the boundary. 23 needed.
Four byes! 27 to win.
Morkel to Porter. This can’t end well.
Ten Doeschate has a go at one that moves away from Dernbach. And again! The ball before he nearly ran Porter out. Take a deep breath Ryan!
It’s Porter. To survive one ball from Morkel…he does… just. 35 needed. Dernbach replaces Virdi at the Vauxhall end.
Essex need 35, Harmer prods at a couple of Morkel missiles – and oh my – he’s gone. For a duck. Essex 97/7!!
MORKEL!!! Wheater caught Ryan Patel for 11, an outside edge.
Two fours off consecutive balls (one a no ball.Oooh a chance to Jade Dernbach at backward square leg, he doesn’t quite get his hands to it. An expensive over there from Virdi -17 runs. Essex need 35 to win.
A huge lbw shout by Morkel against ten Doeschate – not out.
Morkel returns at the pavilion end. 58 needed, five wickets left.
And this, RIP Geoff Clayton.
Should’ve known better than to grab a coffee. Another wicket – a big one – Westley c Clarke b Dernbach 20. Wheater, thumb obviously well enough, walks out. Essex 67/5.
Ey up. Ravi Bopara c Will Jacks b Virdi for a 7-ball duck. Essex 47/4. Enter the Essex captain Ryan ten Doeschate
Lovely cover drive by Tom Westley off Amar Virdi beats the ring of fielders to the boundary. Essex 47/3.
It worked! First ball – Lawrence c Clarke (of course it was) b Dernbach 10. Essex 42/3. Bopara and Westley to steady the ship.
I didn’t mean Morkel actually – but he’s been replaced by Jade Dernbach from the pavilion end.
Dan Lawrence takes a couple of steps down the wicket and heaves Amar Virdi for six. Essex 41/2 need 91. Time for a bowling change. Hmmmm – I’d throw it to Clarke.
A harmless bouncer sails past Dan Lawrence.