first 20 minutes, and Gloucestershire lost nine men for 182 after three wickets from Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria. Even a hit-out from Chandana – who scored 32 off 30 balls, his highest score in six innings in 2005 – was not enough to take a win from the Eagles, their fifth of the season. Essex thus went top of the National League table along with Middlesex. (Cricinfo scorecard) National League: Worcestershire v Essex (19 June) Essex (4pts) beat Worcestershire (0pts) by 39 runs In these teams' last match before the Twenty20 season started, played at New Road in Worcester, Essex Eagles prevailed to take a four-point lead into the month-long break as their bowlers took out Worcestershire for 164 to defend a total of 203 for 9. Having won the toss, skipper Ronnie Irani was the first victim of the Worcestershire Royals bowling, as he departed for a three-ball duck in the third over. Chaminda Vaas and Ray Price got two wickets each as Essex' batting made it to 167 for 8, but Ryan ten Doeschate took them past 200 with a 38-ball 34. Worcestershire started with a 66-run opening stand between Graeme Hick and Stephen Moore, but part-timer William Jefferson removed both of them in quick succession. Jefferson ended with the bowling analysis of 4–0–9–2, in his only bowling effort of the season, as Worcestershire put on 98 for the last nine wickets – 40 short of the required runs to win. Stephen Peters made 41 not out from number six, but after Moore and Hick he was the only batsman to pass 20, as James Middlebrook grabbed three wickets and Andre Adams and Ravinder Bopara two each. (Cricinfo scorecard) Twenty20 Cup Group Stage Essex began their Twenty20 Cup with a loss against Sussex Sharks, but came back to beat Kent Spitfires and the Sharks in their two next matches. Rainy weather in the South Division resulted in two abandoned matches, meaning that five teams were challenging for two or three play-off places, and Essex were one of them, as they were third with a game to play after beating Surrey in a five-over match at Chelmsford by a solitary run. Their last match was against the Spitfires, who were yet to win in seven Twenty20 matches this season, but Kent came up trumps as they won by five runs, sending Essex into fifth place in the group and