Summary

  • Holders Birmingham Bears win by 24 runs

  • Birmingham join Northants at Finals Day on 29 August

  • Bears 189-5 (Evans 50, Woakes 48no)

  • Essex 165-6 (Westley 33, Bopara 32)

Live Reporting

Adam Williams

  1. Birmingham Bears win by 24 runs

    Bears will play at Finals Day on 29 August

    There would have been a lot of pressure and expectation coming into this game. We saw Sussex, the home team, getting turned over by Northants last night. Essex are a good team but they came up against a Bears team perhaps hitting form at the right time.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  2. Match over?

    Essex 130-5 (16.3 overs, target 190)

    Hannon-Dalby gets a wicket with a full toss. Really well held by Rikki Clarke, and the Bears on top.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  3. Westley out for 33

    Essex 103-3 (12.5 overs, target 190)

    Westley was in six-hitting mode. That's a crucial wicket for the Bears. You don't get many safer pairs of hands than Rikki Clarke.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  4. Bopara safe after run-out shout

    Essex 92-2 (11.1 overs, target 190)

    Very good running from Bopara, good cricket awareness and good fielding as well.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  5. Essex 71-2 (9 overs, target 190)

    Any over without a boundary is a problem for Essex now. If Boyd Rankin can maintain the control he's showing at the moment, that would be a huge positive for the Bears.

    Richard Wilford, BBC WM 95.6

  6. Ryder out for 26

    Essex 47-2 (6.4 overs, target 190)

    I just don't think that was there to be hit over cover. He's just hit a fantastic shot over mid-off - perhaps there was an opportunity to work it for ones and twos. This is T20 cricket, they're chasing a big total and they need runs.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  7. Essex 41-1 (6 overs, target 190)

    Good bowling by Chris Woakes, and now we're going to see Boyd Rankin. He's not express pace, but he gets good bounce.

    Don Topley, BBC Essex

  8. Essex 17-1 (3.3 overs, target 190)

    A really good start for the Bears and not what Essex would have wanted, but there are still plenty of match-winners in their side.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  9. Essex 17-0 (3 overs, target 190)

    Already the Bears' fielding is looking immeasurably better than the Eagles' was. If they can keep that up, that's worth 30 runs at least.

    Clive Eakin, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

  10. The key to an Essex win?

    Essex 3-0 (0.5 overs, target 190)

    What will help Essex enormously is if one of these two openers can still be there at the finish. For me, nothing beats that in cricket.

    Paul Newton, BBC Essex

  11. Bears set Essex 190 to win

    Birmingham Bears 189-5 (20 overs)

    The fielding and the bowling was not the Essex way. They're usually very stingy in the field and with their line and length. There's a really good game on our hands here.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  12. Evans out for 50

    Birmingham Bears 157-5 (18 overs)

    A great innings at a crucial time.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  13. Evans picks up the pace

    Birmingham Bears 150-4 (17 overs)

    Somebody needed to get to 40 for the Bears. Laurie Evans has gone out and got it. The atmosphere's perked up now, that's for sure.

    Richard Wilford, BBC WM 95.6

  14. Napier and Masters off for Essex

    Birmingham Bears 124-4 (15.1 overs)

    One hopes there were a couple of extra bodies on the coach, because Essex are going down like nine-pins here.

    Paul Newton, BBC Essex

  15. Can Essex bowl their overs in time?

    Birmingham Bears 117-4 (14.4 overs)

    A shorter run-up by David Masters - I think they are genuinely concerned about the cut-off time.

    Clive Eakin, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

  16. Evans flashes Tait for four

    Birmingham 96-4 (12.2 overs)

    Jesse Ryder was in saving the one at backward point but I think he'll be taking a few steps back. The pace that ball went, it looked like Lance Klusener in the 1999 World Cup.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra

  17. Listen live on BBC radio

    Birmingham Bears 90-4 (12 overs)

    Click on the Live Coverage tab to listen to commentary from BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC WM 95.6 and BBC Essex.

  18. View from the dugout

    Birmingham Bears 81-3 (10.1 overs)

    I'm reasonably pleased to be honest. The wicket's a bit sticky and quite slow. All the batters that have come off so far have said it's been quite tricky. If we can get a little partnership here and take it to the 14th or 15th over, we'll be handily placed.

    Dougie Brown, Birmingham Bears director of cricket, speaking to BBC WM 95.6

  19. Birmingham 60-3 (9 overs)

    Essex have started pretty well. There is the chance for an upset, but Essex are going to have to take every catch and be clinical for the rest of the Bears' innings.

    Don Topley, BBC Essex

  20. Birmingham 45-1 (6 overs)

    To be 45-1 at the end of the powerplay - you would take that having been put into bat, against a good and experienced Essex bowling attack. Will Porterfield is timing the ball nicely and finding the gaps.

    Jonathan Trott, Birmingham Bears batsman on BBC 5 live sports extra