Report: Bears v Essex, Abu Dhabi T20 Super Cup

Dan Mousley hit a fluent half century in his first match since signing a new Bears contract but it wasn’t enough against some brutal Essex batting.

Mousley anchored the innings, batting for more than 18 overs as he hit four 4s and two 6s on his way to compiling 63 off 44 deliveries.

It set Essex what appeared a defendable target of 155 on a slow pitch serving up variable bounce.

However, Essex’s top order made light work of the challenge with Charlie Allison (30 off 14 balls) and Jordan Cox (59 off 32 balls) taking charge.

Essex reached 155/3 off 16.1 overs for a seven-wicket win but Bears superior run rate over the two games saw them top the group and progress to tomorrow’s final showdown.

Bears made six changes to the side that crushed Yorkshire earlier in the day with only Rob Yates – standing in as Captain – Zen Malik, Hamza Shaikh, Theo Wylie and ‘keeper Kai Smith staying for a second hit.

Having won the toss and electing to bat, Yates sent the first ball of the innings for four but opening partner Wylie perished early, mistiming off Jamal Richards and sending a catch to Matt Critchley.

Mousley announced his intentions by timing his first two shots for crisp boundaries.

Essex introduced spin in the form of Simon Harmer and the South Africa veteran delivered a double-wicket maiden. Yates tried the aerial route but didn’t get enough and served up a catch for Jordan Cox. Two balls later Hain played across one that kept low and was LBW.

Smith – at home in Abu Dhabi having played Under-19s cricket for the UAE – clubbed a big maximum over bowler Mackenzie Jones’ head, clipped the next off his pads for four, but then sent an identical Richards’ delivery down the throat of Luc Benkenstein.

Shaikh lasted one ball, a third scalp for Richards who trapped him LBW, before Zen Malik sent the hattrick ball for four as Bears ended the Powerplay 38 for five.

Mousley swept Critchley for six and treated Benkenstein with the same disdain shortly after as he and Malik (14, 16 balls) put on 41.

Che Simmons was promoted up the order and showed why with a savage display of power hitting in the 13^th over.

The 21-year-old timed an unorthodox six off the returning Richards – one-handed at the point of impact – and another huge blow followed two balls later. Two orthodox flicks off the pad reached the rope as Simmons brought up the 100.

Simmons (24 off 18 balls) eventually toe-ended an attempted pull to give Jones a simple C&B. Lintott (26, 16 balls) contributed valuable late runs as Bears hit 36 from the last three overs.

Essex openers Michael Pepper and Allison, though, began in devastating style with the latter hitting Simmons for three successive sixes in an over costing 29 runs.

Mousley made the breakthrough, bowling Allison as he played across his fourth delivery.

Essex were 56/1 after the Powerplay but the game was soon over as a contest as Cox sent boundaries to all corners of the ground.

He hit Mousley for two sixes and two fours in a ninth over costing 20 runs and repeated the trick two overs later as Cox sent Ethan Bamber for four boundaries.

He eventually holed out to Malik off Craig Miles but he’d done more than enough to set up victory for his side.