Essex 187 for 3 (Walter 46) triumphed over Kent 165 for 5 (Muyeye 73) by 22 runs.
Sam Cook's return from injury was pivotal in Essex's 22-run victory against 'Battle of the Bridge' rivals Kent Spitfires, positioning the Eagles favourably for a Vitality Blast quarter-final spot. Fast bowler Cook, coming off a 49-day hamstring injury, took one for 21 as Essex successfully defended their total of 187 despite Tawanda Muyeye’s impressive 73.
Contributions from Adam Rossington, Dean Elgar, Michael Pepper, and Matt Critchley, all surpassing 30, set up Essex’s formidable score. Paul Walter stood out with an unbeaten 46. This win broke the trend at the Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford, where only one of the previous 11 matches had been won by the team batting first. Essex's victory kept them in the top four, while Kent remained at the bottom.
Essex's batting innings experienced three phases of momentum swings. In the power play, Adam Rossington scored a brisk 36, with Elgar steadily supporting to bring up 50 runs in the first six overs. Rossington was dismissed at the end of the power play, but Pepper then took charge, hitting three consecutive fours off Joey Evison and a four-six combo against Matt Parkinson.
Kent regained control when Elgar was caught at long-on in the 12th over, triggering a boundary drought that lasted 31 balls and included Pepper’s dismissal for a 20-ball 34. Parkinson, finding some grip, took both key wickets and finished with figures of two for 29.
Essex, however, accelerated in the final five overs, with Walter and Critchley adding 67 runs, combining a six with strategic field manipulation.
Cook, returning from his hamstring injury suffered in a Vitality County Championship match against Kent in May, started strong, giving away just a single in his first over. Eathan Bosch, making his T20 debut for Essex, also began well but conceded 24 runs in his second over, allowing the Spitfires to gain momentum.
Muyeye and Marcus O'Riordan’s 85-run partnership kept Kent in contention, with Muyeye reaching his fourth T20 fifty in 34 balls. However, Essex regained control with O'Riordan's sharp caught-and-bowled dismissal by Snater, followed by Sam Billings slicing Simon Harmer to cover, and Muyeye also falling to Snater.
Kent faltered in the final stages, scoring only 53 runs in the last eight overs, with Jack Leaning's dismissal adding to their woes. Walter and Cook comfortably defended the remaining 36 runs needed from the last two overs, securing Essex’s win.