WORCESTERSHIRE were beaten by Essex in yesterday's friendly during a dramatic final over at Chelmsford.

The game was played as a one-day match over 50 overs each as hopes were not high of enjoying any play today due to the weather.

With Essex making 303-6, Worcestershire needed four runs for victory from the last over which was bowled by Ryan ten Doeschate.

But ten Doeschate bowled Ray Price for five runs and David Wigley for a duck off successive deliveries.

He then forced out James Pipe, who made 25 runs, from the last ball to earn Essex a last-gasp two-run win.

Graham Hick struck 112 runs for Worcestershire with his 100 coming from 74 balls, including 13 fours and five sixes.

Essex 303-6 off 50 overs (Cook 23, A. Flower 1, Pettini 85, Napier 7, Grayson 18, Irani 1, Middlebrook 108 not out, Phillips 50 not out/Mason 10-1-32-2, Kabir Ali 14-2-86-1, Wigley 11-0-78-1, Price 10-1-48-1, Moore 5-0-53-0).

Worcs 301 all out off 50 overs (Peters 15, Moore 37, Hick 112, Smith 57, Solanki 4, Davies 7, Kabir Ali 26, Pipe 25, Price 5, Wigley 0, Mason 1 not out/Cowan 10-1-49-1, Palladino 8-1-36-1, Napier 8-1-42-0, ten Doeschate 9-0-69-4, Phillips 8-0-57-1, Middlebrook 7-0-46-3).