A stunning unbeaten 50 from 34 balls by Ronnie Irani brought Essex a victory which at one point looked beyond them.

And it ensured the Chelmsford-based side would have a home tie in the quarter-finals, topping the southern group unbeaten with nine points.

Earlier, Kent recovered from a disastrous start.

They slumped to 43 for four, with Ashley Cowan taking three quick wickets.

Then they recovered to set a highly competitive target thanks to a fine innings of 80 by David Fulton.

Fine stand

Fulton and Matthew Walker got their county back into the match with a fine stand worth 120.

But Essex seamer Andy Clarke responded for the visitors by collecting his best-ever figures of four for 44.

Clarke finally had Walker caught by Aftab Habib for 64 before removing Paul Nixon for 12.

The sixth bowler tried by Essex, he then followed up by bowling Fulton.

And the 26-year-old hadn't finished. In his ninth over he dismissed James Tredwell for five as a late surge by Kent was largely averted.

Essex's run chase looked in fine order at one stage.

Nasser Hussain hit 42 opening the innings, and then Andy Flower and Aftab Habib looked to be accelerating nicely.

But when both men were out, Ben Trott got in on the act, removing Ashley Cowan and Paul Grayson cheaply.

It meant Irani had to do nearly all the work himself, though he was finally glad that Jamie Middlebrook was able to hit 15 not out off 11 balls batting at 10.

Victory was secured with four balls to spare.

Kent: M V Fleming (Capt), R W T Key, J B Hockley, J M Golding, A Symonds, M J Walker, P A Nixon (Wkt), D P Fulton, J C Tredwell, M J Saggers, B J Trott.

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

Umpires: S A Bucknor and K E Palmer