HERO Simon Harmer admitted his day could not have gone any better after playing a starring role in Essex's Vitality Blast success.

The South African and Ravi Bopara were in sparking form as the Eagles won the competition for the first time after toppling defending champions Worcestershire by four wickets in a final decided off the last ball.

Harmer was the standout bowler in a crowded field on Finals Day, taking three wickets for 16 runs in the showpiece as Worcestershire were restricted to 145 for nine after being invited to bat first at a sold out Edgbaston.

Bopara kept Essex's hopes alive after they had lurched to 82 for five in the 14th over with a breezy 36 not out from 22 balls, before Harmer appropriately registered the winning boundary from the final delivery of the match.

"We only won two of our first ten games – it wasn’t a great start to the competition but we got ourselves over the line and into the finals and we’re now going to enjoy this," said Harmer.

"We started to play with freedom in the group stage and Ravi has been exceptional, especially here against a very good Worcestershire side.

"As the tournament progressed, everyone chipped in with performances.

"The pitch for the final took some spin and, from a personal point of view, it couldn't have gone any better.

"I’m so proud of the players and that this club is so competitive in all formats.

"We won the Championship in 2017 and we’ve got a chance of winning it again next week against Somerset but we’ll enjoy this first."

With two needed from the final ball and the field in close, the Essex captain (18 not out) steered Wayne Parnell through point for four before setting off in celebration as his team-mates attempted to catch him.

Victory marks the start of what could be a memorable few days for the club, who only need to avoid defeat at Somerset next week to clinch the Specsavers County Championship pennant.

Worcestershire were seeking to become the first team to successfully defend the domestic English Twenty20 title and would have fancied their chances when Essex required 23 from the final two overs and 12 from the last six balls.

Parnell had been instrumental in Worcestershire's nerve-shredding one-run over Nottinghamshire in the semi-final but he blinked first here as his penultimate delivery was hammered back over his head by Harmer, who then completed the job.

Worcestershire captain Moeen Ali said: "It was a great game of T20 cricket and full credit to Essex.

"The way Ravi Bopara played was fantastic and he basically won the game for them along with Simon Harmer.

"We have won a few tight games like that in the last few years so it’s disappointing that we came up short this time, although it wasn't for a lack of effort from the boys.

"But going forward, we have a formula in this format that works for us and hopefully we can continue to have success."