PRO40 DIVISION ONE, Colchester:
Worcestershire 248-7 beat Essex 247-5 by three wickets (Worcs 2pts)

Vikram Solanki had scored just three runs so far in this year's Pro40

Championship stragglers Worcestershire maintained their Pro40 form, beating Essex to stay on course for a second Sunday League title in three summers.

But their three-wicket victory did not come until the final ball, off spinner Ian Fisher hitting the winning run.

Varun Chopra (62) and James Foster (52no) helped Essex run up 247-5.

But openers Vikram Solanki (62) and Steven Davies (61) set up a sound base for Daryl Mitchell (50no) to see Worcestershire home on 247-8.

Mitchell and Fisher were the Worcestershire heroes, putting together an unbroken partnership of 47 in the final five overs.

And, with Mitchell playing the leading role, 36 of those runs came in the last three overs sent down by Chris Wright and Tim Phillips.

Even then, the scores were tied with one ball left, but Fisher's single to square leg from Wright's final delivery saw the visitors to the winning post.

Mitchell ended with a half-century from just 37 balls, to take his tally in the Pro40 this season to 114 runs in just three innings.

Worcestershire return to County Championship duty on Tuesday (25 August, 1100 BST) when Division One's stranded backmarkers once again bid to end this season's embarrassing winless run.

They could swap places next season with Essex, who will look to continue their promotion push a day later with a home game against struggling Leicestershire.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes:

"It was great for team morale. I thought the innings from Daryl Mitchell was superb today, it needed someone to put their hand up and win the game for us.

"We started well, but we seemed to fold a bit and they got right back in the game.

"But Daryl and Ian Fisher put in a wonderful close to the innings but to win a game like that is great for us and for Daryl."

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