ESSEX Eagles missed out on the chance to book their place in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals with a last-over defeat to reigning champions Hampshire Royals.
After being put in to bat, Owais Shah top-scored with 63 as the Eagles made an imposing 182-5 in their 20 overs.
But they were hindered by a six-run penalty for slow over rate as the Royals got home with four balls to spare.
It is the second time this season the Eagles have been hit with a penalty for bowling too slowly, with Sussex having gained 12 runs at Chelmsford earlier this month.
That one proved not to be costly, but this one made Hampshire's target two from the final over instead of eight.
The win put Hampshire into the quarter-finals, but Essex could still have joined them, depending on not only their performance against Surrey last (Wednesday) night, but also the result of Hampshire's game with Middlesex.
Hamish Rutherford got Essex off to a flying start with 22 from 13 balls, while Greg Smith ended up playing a watching role in an opening stand worth 24.
Smith made 11 from 16 balls before falling with the score on 69 as Shah took the bull by the horns, smashing six fours and four sixes in his 43-ball knock.
Ravi Bopara made 15, before Ryan ten Doeschate (28), James Foster (19) and Graham Napier gave the innings some late impetus to ensure the holders would need to score at more than nine an over to win the match
Opener Michael Carberry starred with 54, James Vince made 17 and Jimmy Adams 12, but Essex were well in the hunt until the penalty runs.
Reece Topley made a pair of breakthroughs by dismissing Sean Ervine and Adam Wheater in consecutive balls, but Neil McKenzie and Liam Dawson saw the Royals home.