Bopara back in the groove

Ravi Bopara hit a stylish 91 © Getty Images

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England all-rounder Ravi Bopara hit a stylish 91 but could not prevent Essex losing to Somerset by four wickets in the Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge Trophy in Abu Dhabi.

Bopara endured a tough winter, having managed only 42 runs in the Test series defeat in Sri Lanka and then being dropped from England’s limited-overs side after two one-day internationals in New Zealand.

But he batted with finesse at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium to help Essex post 278, hauling a six over square-leg off Peter Trego in addition to striking 10 fours.

Bopara got off the mark with a punched four down the ground off left-armer Charl Langeveldt and dominated the scoring prior to sharing a 73-run stand for the fifth wicket with James Foster.

The 22-year-old’s 104-ball innings came to its conclusion thanks to a brilliant stumping down the leg side by wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter off Trego.

Spinners Tim Phillips and James Middlebrook weighed in with 41 and 31 respectively as Essex’s lower order made the most of Mark Pettini’s decision to bat first.

However, Somerset were steered to their target by a calculated innings of 98 from England Lions batsman James Hildreth.

James Hildreth struck 98 to help Somerset beat Essex

Opener Carl Gazzard struck 58 but upon his departure Hildreth took over, lofting two sixes in a half-century that occupied 51 deliveries.

Seventh-wicket partner Steffan Jones guided the Sabres to victory in the penultimate over with two cover-driven boundaries off Ryan ten Doeschate.

The pair had come together under the floodlights with the contest in the balance at 217 for six, after left-armer Phillips claimed four wickets.

Essex have now lost two of their three matches in the Pro ARCH tournament, having been defeated by Lancashire on Sunday, while Somerset’s win came in their first outing of four here.

Hildreth is hoping his weight of runs for Somerset will play heavily on the minds of England’s selectors.

Having been involved in the English second string’s tour of India earlier this winter, the 23-year-old’s next goal is full recognition.

But he insisted: “I’m just taking each game as it comes and concentrating on our games at Somerset.

“Of course it is an aim but you need a stepping stone to get there, and hopefully by getting runs for Somerset people will start to recognise me."