KENT spinner Muttiah Muralitharan conceded 14 from his final over as Essex snatched a dramatic last ball tie in the Sunday National League clash at St Lawrence.

Essex appeared to have cracked under the pressure of a late onslaught of four for 36 from Martin Saggers which, coupled with two silly run outs, left Essex under the cosh as they chased a 45-over total of 255.

But their salvation came in the shape of former Lashings player Mohammad Akram who came into bat with just seven balls of the match remaining and secured a share of the spoils by hitting two boundaries in Muralitharan’s final over, including a hit blow over wide mid-on from the final ball of the game.

Chasing 255 to win in perfect batting conditions, the Eagles looked set for victory as they coasted to 197 for two built around a chanceless century from Andy Flower.

The Zimbabwean left-hander, as he did in this week’s corresponding championship match, looked head and shoulders above his colleagues.

He and opener Will Jefferson (58) posted 132 for the first wicket leaving Kent, a shambles in the field and not much better with the ball, scratching their heads.

Even Matt Walker had a bowl as Kent struggled to find the right format, but it was James Tredwell who made the breakthrough.

The young off-spinner had Jefferson caught at backward square-leg then, two balls after celebrating his 87-ball hundred, saw Geraint Jones snaffle a stumping chance.

With the pressure on and the run-rate rising, Essex cracked when Aftab Habib refused his captain’s call for a leg bye allowing Rob Key to run out from mid-wicket.

Martin Saggers then upped the pressure by yorking Mark Pettini for three and having James Middlebrook caught at mid-off to improve Kent’s chances of posting their fourth with of the National League campaign.

Kent’s innings revolved around two partnerships, but otherwise there was very little filling in the sandwich.

For once, Ed Smith went cheaply when he played outside a Tony Palladino in-swinger to lose his off stump for just a single.

Fulton went for the same score when he gloved an attempted pull to the keeper off the wayward bowling of Lashings starlet and emergency overseas pro Mohammad Akram.

From the depths of 10 for two, Spitfires battled back through Rob Key (36) and Matt Walker (32) in a third wicket stand of 78 in 14 overs.

Neither batsman was prepared to take risks but, as soon as one, did they perished as Key edged into the gloves of Flower.

Walker’s demise was the unluckiest though, backing up he was caught out of his ground when a drive from Geraint Jones was deflected onto the stumps.

With two fresh men at the crease, Kent were forced into a second re-building act, but the batting that followed from Jones and Mark Ealham thrilled a crowd of 5,500.

Both played patiently until reaching the 30s, but the introduction of James Middlebrook coincided with a flurry of strokeplay as Ealham clattered the off-spinner for two straight sixes to reach his 50.

Jones joined in with a six off Andy Clarke to reach his half-century from 69 balls but, after a stand of 127 in 19 overs, the wheels then fell off again.

Ealham pulled a Middlebrook full-toss to mid-wicket then Jones hit a Clarke full-toss into the hands of short fine-leg. Kent’s tail fell away poorly thereafter.