Andy Flower produced an excellent all round performance as Essex beat Derbyshire by seven wickets in their Norwich Union league match at Chelmsford.

The Zimbabwe Test star took five catches behind the stumps and scored an unbeaten 43 as essex overhauled Derbyshire's total of 155 with eight overs to spare.

Eagles captain Ronnie Irani won the toss and put the visitors in but saw three of his first four balls driven to the boundary by Andrew Gait.

But Irani gained his revenge as Gait played across the line to a good length ball and was bowled for 12.

Mathew Dowman managed only a single before the left-hander edged a catch to wicketkeeper Flower off the bowling of Ashley Cowan.

Winning runs

Dominic Hewson became Irani's second victim and Christopher Bassano faced 25 balls without scoring before driving a catch to Paul Grayson in Jon Dakin's second over.

John Stephenson then captured the prize wicket of Michael di Venuto in the next over when the Australian was trapped lbw for 23.

Steven Selwood and Luke Sutton steadied the ship slightly but the introduction of Cowan back into the attack accounted for the latter when he was caught by Flower.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals throughout the remainder of the innings as Derbyshire collapsed.

Darren Robinson and Stephenson made a solid start in Essex's reply, putting on 56 before the latter fell to Jason Kerr.

Robinson skied a catch to Kerr at deep mid-on after a solid 38 and Graham Napier bowled by Tom Lungley to give the Scorpions renewed hope.

But it proved short-lived as Flower and Irani steered Essex towards their target.

Flower smashed 43 from 39 balls, including the winning boundary, while Irani finished unbeaten on 29.

Essex: J P Stephenson, J M Dakin, G R Napier, A Flower (Wkt) R C Irani (Capt), A Habib, A P Grayson, D D J Robinson, A P Cowan J D Middlebrook, A J Clarke.

Derbyshire: S D Stubbings, M J Di Venuto (Capt), C W G Bassano D R Hewson, A I Gait, S A Selwood, L D Sutton (Wkt), G Welch T Lungley, J I D Kerr, M P Dowman.