GLAMORGAN staged another thrilling Friends Life t20 clash at Cardiff’s Swalec Stadium but were again agonisingly just short of victory.

Essex won the match with just one ball to spare in this engrossing encounter, nearly blowing what had looked like a stroll in the park at one stage.

Glamorgan set the visitors a competitive target of 142 thanks to big contributions from Chris Cooke (34), Ben Wright (23) and Abergavenny’s Mark Wallace (22).

Tim Phillips with 3-18 off four overs was the pick of the Essex attack.

In reply Owais Shah tormented Glamorgan, hitting 60 off 45 balls.

The Eagles looked as if they would canter home but some cheap wickets meant they started to sweat in the closing stages.

But needing seven off the last over, Essex held their nerve, captain James Foster hitting the winning runs to see them home.

Graham Wagg was Glamorgan’s best bowler, finishing with 1-16.

There was no fairytale return for fast bowler Simon Jones on his one-month loan spell from Hampshire.

But he did nearly take a spectacular catch in the last over to put real pressure on Essex and claimed a wicket (although he was expensive, finishing with 1-34) as well as running out Matt Walker for 2.

A small confrontation between Wagg and Foster the only slight blot on a great contest, Essex winning by four wickets.