Moeen Ali scored 99 for Worcestershire Royals

Clydesdale Bank Group A: Essex 190-9 lost to Worcestershire 191-3 by seven wickets

Moeen Ali fell just short of a century but he helped Worcestershire to humiliate Essex as the Eagles slipped to a seven-wicket defeat at the County Ground today.

Ali hit 99 off 98 balls to put them in the box seat, though the hosts started brightly with England-bound opener Alistair Cook and Mark Pettini reaching 84 without loss before pressing the self destruct button and limping to 190-9 from their allotted overs.

Cook, despite taking a little while to get going, shone through as he approached his half century only to be run out by Pettini after the former skipper had found Worcestershire captain Darryl Mitchell with a straight drive to mid off and ran the England opening batsmen out.

However, that was when Essex began to struggle as South African Alviro Petersen was dismissed for just one after failing to pick a straight delivery from spinner Shaaiq Choudhry.

Essex’s century came up in the 23rd over with only Pettini’s third boundary in his 39 runs.

But Adam Wheater fell for just six lbw to Mitchell the innings began to peter out for the hosts.

Pettini reached his half century off 62 balls and then Greg Smith, lucky to still be in after narrowly escaping a run out, was out for just eight after toe ending to Mitchell off the bowling off Choudry.

The innings then began to fell apart with Pettini out caught at long on off the bowling of Moeen Ali to leave the score at 142-5 in the 32nd over.

Graham Napier was run out without facing when skipper James Foster straight batted a shot down the ground and David Lucas got a foot on the ball to divert it onto the stumps.

Comber was then out in similar fashion to Pettini adding just six before a late cameo from David Masters saw him 15 from just 12 balls to steer them to 190 off their allotted overs.

Worcestershire enjoyed a flying start to their innings, smashing 16 runs off Napier’s second over.

Expensive overs from NMills and then Smith for 12 and 13 respectively put the visitors firmly in the front seat.

Solanki’s departure for 47 after missing a straight ball from Tim Phillips brought Essex hope with the scores on 104-1, but it wasn’t to be as Worcestershire batted wll and sensibly towards the victory.

There were very few scares along the way, only the economical bowling of Tim Phillips kept the game going past the 30-over mark.

Ali disappointingly fell short of a century but had well and truly wrapped up the game despite a dismissal of James Cameron for a duck, captain Mitchell and Michael Klinger saw the Royals home with just over six overs remaining.