By Paul Newman at Lord's

Essex 232-9 v Middlesex

MIDDLESEX, the one-day tortoises transformed into hares this season, are well positioned to reach their first Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final since 1985, their performance of some authority here having been spoiled only by the late intervention of Stephen Peters.

A start delayed until 4.45pm by a wet outfield made the toss crucial. Mark Ramprakash won it and, on the back of a run of eight successive limited-overs victories, including two against their quarter-final rivals, was able to insert Essex knowing Middlesex are bowling and fielding with a sense of purpose that has made them unrecognisable from last season.

They kept up that good work yesterday in the half match that was possible. To the fore was Richard Johnson, who is showing glimpses of the form which saw him, in 1994, take all 10 wickets in a Derbyshire innings and earn a place, the following year, on England's tour of South Africa. He was unable to claim it because of injury.

Misfortune has dogged him since but a fit Johnson can bowl with pace and panache and here he made the crucial breakthroughs after Angus Fraser had struck the early blows by removing Darren Robinson in his first over and then the in form Nasser Hussain.

Much rested with Stuart Law but Johnson cut him off in his prime soon after ending Robert Rollins' brave attempt to lift Essex. He had clumped Fraser for 14 in three balls in his pinch-hitting 28 off 22 deliveries.

When Ronnie Irani and Paul Grayson departed to spin, Middlesex looked firm favourites but that they will have to bat well today was all due to the leading light among the rich crop of talented young Essex players.

Peters, a century maker in the under-19 World Cup final earlier this year, has been given the chance this season to fulfil his immense promise.

Here he duly produced probably his best contribution as a first-team player so far, a superb six off Ian Blanchett epitomising his sweet strokeplay in a 57-ball unbeaten 58. Now Ashley Cowan and Peter Such will today attempt to grasp the outside chance Peters has given his side.

Day 2: Cowan tips balance to swing it for Essex

By D J Rutnagur at Lord's

Essex (232-9) bt Middlesex (224-7) by 8 runs

ON HIS first outing after three weeks on the sidelines with a back injury which struck him in the opening match of the season, Ashley Cowan bowled Essex to a worthy triumph in their Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final with Middlesex yesterday.

Cowan produced his best performance in limited-overs cricket by taking five wickets for 28 in a match which had been carried-over from Wednesday.

Essex, whose fortunes in the championship are at a low ebb, will be buoyed by their victory over opponents who had hitherto carried all before them in one-day matches, winning eight in a row. Engaged as Essex are in rebuilding their side, they will be delighted that the main architects of this success, achieved in the face of considerable initial adversity, were two of the younger brigade, Stephen Peters and Cowan.

Without Peters's unbeaten 58, which breathed life into a sinking innings on Wednesday, a win for Middlesex would have been a formality. Cowan, who was accurate and hostile as he swung the ball, ravaged the foundations of the Middlesex innings in his opening spell and then returned to disrupt its repairs, paving Essex's way to Headingley for a semi-final against Yorkshire.

Eight months ago, in his last appearance at Lord's, Cowan whipped out three of Warwickshire's top order in the Nat West Trophy final, including England's one-day expert Nick Knight for a third-ball duck. ``Lord's is becoming a little bit special as a ground for me,'' said Cowan, 23.

The worth of Essex's score was enhanced by a cloudy morning which sharpened the edge of their attack. Middlesex's ploy in sending the hard-hitting Richard Johnson to open the innings produced two fours in the first three overs. But aiming across the line at Cowan in the fourth, he was bowled.

Keith Brown, who has had a major hand in shaping Middlesex's impressive record in the one-day game this season, picked up Mark Ilott and hoisted him for six and glanced a rare stray ball from Cowan for four.

The sun peeped out of the clouds at this point, but only fleetingly. And as it disappeared, Cowan confronted Brown with a late out-swinger which made for a spectacular diving catch at second slip by Stuart Law.

Mark Ramprakash looked quite on terms with the conditions as he made 14 from 17 balls, hooking Ilott for six over the short Tavern boundary and driving him classically through the covers. But then Cowan came up with another deadly out-swinger and Law pouched the snick, reducing Middlesex to 51 for three in the 14th over.

Cowan had three wickets for 26 in his eight overs and despite conceding two sixes and two fours, Ilott went for just 27 in his seven. Justin Langer, watchful and pugnacious, and Owais Shah, playing with mature judgment, then put on 108, the only three-figure partnership of the match.

With the gap narrowed to 73 and 13 overs left, Essex were desperate for a breakthrough and Nasser Hussain boldly brought back Cowan who, with his first ball, defeated Shah's intended deflection. In the same over he trapped Langer, who had made 71 off 98 balls.

Jason Pooley and Paul Weekes then added 42, but without achieving the momentum required and with 31 required from the last four overs, Pooley holed out. So did Weekes shortly afterwards, leaving the tail with the near-impossible task of plundering 26 from the final two overs.

SEMI-FINAL DRAW: Ties to be played June 9

Leicestershire v Surrey (Leicester)
Yorkshire v Essex (Headingley)