Grant Flower and Ray Price both had fine matches as Zimbabwe warmed up for the NatWest series with their third win in their last four one-day warm-up fixtures.

They added to a run incorporating wins over Ireland, Somerset and Hampshire with a five-wicket success over Essex.

The county side were captained by former Zimbabwean international Andy Flower.

But although Flower hit 52 off just 56 balls, most of the other Essex batsmen were rolled over cheaply by the tourists with Price (3-20 off 10 overs) the most successful.

Essex collapsed from 56-0 to 70-4 as Price turned the screw in the middle overs.

Flower and Jamie Middlebrook (42 not out) prevented Essex sinking to a really low score.

But there was no further support from an inexperienced lower order with Jon Dakin, Graham Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate all rested.

Needing just 190 to win, Zimbabwe recovered from the early loss of Dion Ebrahim as Doug Marillier (30) and Travis Friend (44) added 64 for the second wicket.

When they both fell, Flower guided his team home, bettering his brother's efforts on the opposing team by eight runs.

Essex: N Hussain, D D J Robinson, R S Bopara, A Habib, A Flower (Capt, Wkt), R C Irani, J D Middlebrook, N A Denning, A P Palladino, S A Brant, J B Grant.