Essex completed a hat-trick they will want to forget at Chelmsford yesterday, slumping to their third defeat in as many days without so much as a whimper.

This time Zimbabwe were their conquerors, passing the county's 189-9 with five wickets and 11 overs to spare.

With Jon Dakin and Graham Napier rested, the Essex attack had something of a threadbare appearance and it was no real surprise they were unable to really trouble the tourists.

But mitigating circumstances could not be put forward to explain another inept performance with the bat.

The line-up was packed with experience as Nasser Hussain returned to join Darren Robinson, Aftab Habib, Ronnie Irani and Andy Flower.

But of that quintet only Flower, given the job of skippering the county against opponents containing his brother Grant, batted with any real authority.

Hussain needed 38 deliveries to move into double figures and in all faced 51 for his 21 before he was run out after sharing in an opening stand of 56 with Robinson.

The England captain's departure prompted a collapse with three more wickets falling for the addition of 14 runs. All of them were claimed by left-arm spinner Ray Price.

But Flower came to the rescue as he skilfully found the gaps while compiling 52 from 56 balls, an innings containing five boundaries.

But then he was to become the second of four run-out victims as he failed to complete a third run.

Zimbabwe posted their 50 in the eighth over for the loss of only one wicket and the 100 was raised in the 18th.

By then Travis Friend had left the scene of battle while making an entertaining 44 from 43 balls, ten of which he despatched to the boundary, bowled by Middlebrook -- and Doug Mariller was removed lbs by Joe Grant.

But Grant Flower, despite losing a couple of partners before the 150 was raised, remained composed, secure and determined not to be upstaged by his elder brother.

Published Monday, June 23, 2003

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