Graham Thorpe kept his composure to condemn Essex Eagles to a three-wicket defeat at the hands of National League leaders Surrey Lions at The Oval yesterday.
The "forgotten man" of England scored a magnificent unbeaten 79 to steer his side to a success with 13 deliveries to spare after Essex had posted a total of 220.
To their credit the county made a great fight of it against star-studded opponents, whose team included eight players who have represented their country at either Test level or in one-day internationals.
When Surrey lost their seventh wicket with the total on 197 in the 36th over, there was even a glimmer of hope that Essex would win.
But in the end Thorpe, who in the last ten days has scored centuries against Somerset and Sussex, confirmed his rich vein of form to see Surrey past the winning post.
After Scott Brant removed Ian Ward and Alistair Brown in his first couple of overs, Thorpe arrived to keep Mark Ramprakash company and help his team reclaim the initiative with a partnership of 64 in a dozen overs.
That was broken when Brant trapped Ramprakash lbw for 38 to provide the Queenslander with rich consolation after he had been despatched effortlessly over midwicket for six a few minutes earlier.
Rikki Clarke also hammered Graham Napier for an onside six before falling to Jon Dakin, and Adam Hollioake, Azhar Mahmood and Jon Batty soon followed him back to the pavilion.
But no one was able halt the progress of Thorpe as he completed his half century from the 56th ball he received and went on to hit eight boundaries in his 97-ball effort.
Earlier Essex were undone by Mahmood, who surprisingly delayed linking up with the Pakistan touring side who play Essex at Chelmsford today.
The paceman roared in with figures of 6-37, his last five wickets arriving in the space of 16 balls at a cost of 13.
That spell of devastation started when he bowled Darren Robinson for 78 in the 39th over.
It was the first time in ten trips to middle that Robinson had reached 50 and his fine effort spanned 94 balls and brought him nine boundaries.
He figured in two half-century stands: the first with James Foster who made 26 before falling to a diving catch at midwicket by Brown, and one of 79 in 16 overs with Paul Grayson for the fifth wicket.
Published Monday, June 9, 2003
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