Neil Carter proved the unlikely hero of Warwickshire's comfortable five-wicket win over dispirited Essex at Edgbaston.

The 26-year-old English-qualified South African was promoted for his one-day debut after impressive performances in the Second XI and responded with a match-winning all-round performance.

Carter took four for 21 with his left-arm seamers as Essex were dismissed for 160 and then struck a quickfire 40 in his role as pinch-hitter as Warwickshire coasted home with almost seven overs to spare.

Carter took his first three wickets for 12 runs in eight overs and it was a surprise when Warwickshire skipper Michael Powell then withdrew him from the attack.

Essex skipper Ronnie Irani and Jamie Foster staged a partial recovery before Carter returned to take his fourth wicket and Essex might have made more of a game of it had they had a full-strength attack.

They did manage to reduce Warwickshire to 93 for five after Carter had launched the innings with a 43-ball 40 which included two pulled sixes off Ashley Cowan.

Paul Grayson's slow left-arm spin on a slowly turning pitch caused Warwickshire most problems but the lack of depth in Essex's bowling attack showed as Dougie Brown and Trevor Penney steered Warwickshire home.

They added 68 in an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership with Brown completing a valuable half-century from 86 balls with three fours.

It was Carter, predictably enough, who took the man-of-the-match award for the outstanding performance of an instantly forgettable match played in miserably cold weather.

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