Essex beat Worcestershire in their County Championship division 2 game at New Road by five wickets. A career best performance by bowler John Stephenson helped Essex to a achieve a getable target of 135. but they to stumbled to 13-3 in reply. It was left to new overseas signing Andy Flower to steady the ship. By the time the Zimbabwe international departed, lbw for 47, Essex were in command and it was left to skipper Ronnie Irani to join Stephenson at the crease to score the winning runs. On Friday a devastating bowling display by John Stephenson saw Essex demolish the Worcestershire second innings. The home side were eventually all out for 140. Stephenson went on to take 7-44. The wickets of openers Vikram Solanki and Anurag Singh along with that of David Leatherdale all fell to Stephenson . Solanki made 15 and Singh managed 23 runs for Worcestershire. Essex were ahead by six runs after the first innings with Ronnie Irani's side scoring 373 while Worcestershire scored 367.