The Essex Eagles hold the advantage after the Glamorgan Dragons lost 6 wickets in the space of 25 balls to slump to 94-9.
Having won the toss the Dragons got off to a good start with Jim Allenby (25) and Mark Cosgrove (24) sharing an opening stand of 47 for the home team.
With no suggestions of a break through; Eagles skipper James Foster would have been concerned with the way Allenby and Cosgrove had enjoyed a trouble free start.
The game turned in the 7th over though thanks to a brilliant run out by Grant Flower who broke up the opening partnership by dismissing Cosgrove.
With a much needed breakthrough the Eagles increased the pressure which saw the home side lose another 5 wickets in the space of 21 balls to slump to 57-6.
Allenby, Jamies Dalrymple (2), Tom Maynard (0), David Brown (2) and Mark Wallace were all dismissed in wild 10 minutes which saw Danish Kaneria record a 2 wicket maiden from his first over.
Robert Croft and Gareth Rees (8) steamed the flow of wickets adding 8 runs before Rees was dismissed by Bopara in the 14th.
Dean Cosker (0) followed quickly after but Croft (22) and David Harrison (8) added 28 runs in a vital 8th wicket stand before Harrison was bowled by Chris Wright in the final over.
Despite the spirited stand the Dragons will be under intense pressure with a total of only 95 to defend against the big hitting Eagles batting line up.
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