Irani shines with bat and ball

Essex 262-9 Worcestershire 26-4

The Essex captain, Ronnie Irani, seems to be in the form of his life. After collecting Essex's player of the month award before the start of play in this rain-delayed Benson & Hedges Cup semi-final yesterday, the former England all-rounder then put in the sort of performance which is becoming accepted as common practice here.

If Irani's run-a-ball 57, which contained three huge sixes, was the exceptional innings in a fine all-round effort by Essex's batsmen, he then went a long way to securing his side a place in the final by taking three top-order wickets in the evening gloom, including the vital one of the Worcestershire captain Graeme Hick, caught at cover, first ball.

By the time bad light curtailed play, Worcestershire were hopelessly placed at 26 for 4, still needing a further 237 for victory from the 38 overs that remain to be bowled today.

Other contributions were made by each of the top five but it was Irani who did most to get Essex to the challenging total of 262. If this game's build-up had been dominated by the 6.30am arrival from South Africa of Worcestershire's latest fast bowler, Allan Donald – who attended Hansie Cronje's funeral in Bloemfontein on Wednesday – it didn't take long for the England captain, Nasser Hussain, to show Donald wasn't the only star on show.

Hussain immediately grabbed the initiative by playing in the most positive of ways on a green pitch and in perfect conditions for bowling and Worcestershire never got it back. After Hussain smashed 18 runs off the fourth over of the day from Alamgir Sheriyar, Hick, having won the toss, must have been wondering whether he had made the right decision in asking Essex to bat.

When Hussain went, attempting one big shot too many to Kabir Ali, comfortably the pick of the visitors bowlers, the responsibility of getting Essex to a good total was left with Darren Robinson and Andy Flower. Both batsmen took this on and ensured, along with Irani, that at every stage of the home side's innings, they had a player scoring freely at the crease.

Hick's bowlers were never in control and the manner in which Irani and Ashley Cowan obliterated Worcestershire's top-order would have left their captain with thoughts of what could have been.

* Mark Butcher, the Surrey and England batsman who earlier this week received the news that he will require surgery to correct an injury to his left knee, yesterday found out that he is to be fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary committee following comments he had made in a newspaper article concerning the legitimacy of the bowling action of the Sri Lankan left-arm seamer, Ruchira Perera. As Butcher is unhappy with the proposed fine, the incident will now be referred to a disciplinary panel hearing, to take place within the next two weeks, where Butcher will have a chance to give his side of the story.