In cloudy conditions at Old Trafford, Essex Eagles grabbed eight Lancashire Lightning wickets and limited seven batsmen to sub-15 scores in a match shortened to 40 overs a side. Only Iain Sutcliffe and Mark Chilton passed 15 for Lancashire, while spinners Danish Kaneria and James Middlebrook shared five wickets between them. Lancashire eventually finished on 154 for 8, and Essex were set 156 to win due to a small rain-interruption in Lancashire's innings. Despite two wickets from James Anderson, Essex made it to the target with more than seven overs to spare, Grant Flower making 66 and Ravinder Bopara an unbeaten 45.