Danish Kaneria returned the best Twenty20 Cup figures of his career as Essex cruised into the quarter-finals with a crushing 54-run victory over Hampshire at Chelmsford. The Pakistan leg-spinner claimed four wickets for 22 runs in only 3.3 overs as the visitors were bowled out for 105 in reply to Essex's total of 159.
Kaneria weaved his magic after coming on for the 11th over with Hampshire - who would have progressed at Essex's expense with a victory - 61 for four.
And, helped by some fine work in the field, Essex were able to celebrate victory in the 18th over.
David Masters had put Hampshire on the back foot by removing Michael Carberry and Ian Harvey in consecutive overs, but it was 20-year-old Maurice Chambers who shared the honours with Kaneria.
As well as taking three fine catches in the deep, the young fast bowler stifled Hampshire's progress with four overs costing just 18 runs and earning him the wicket of Sean Ervine.
No-one in the Hampshire side reached 20 but Essex too did not find runs in plentiful supply.
The only batsman to perform with any real freedom was skipper Mark Pettini, who struck three sixes and four fours in gathering 49 from 34 deliveries.
James Foster, with 20 from 16 balls, was the only other Essex player to top 20 before Chris Tremlett brought the innings to a swift conclusion.
He did so by picking up four of the last five wickets at a personal cost of four runs in eight deliveries, three times shattering the stumps as the batsman found his pace and accuracy too much.
That gave Tremlett figures of four for 25 in 3.4 overs - but it soon became apparent his efforts would not be enough to take Hampshire into the knockout stages.
Graham Napier drew first blood when he trapped Michael Lumb lbw in the second over of the innings, and Masters' double strike heaped further problems on Hampshire before Kaneria took his tally of wickets in this season competition to 18.
Essex's reward for their win is a home tie against Northamptonshire next month.
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