Ravi Bopara continued his fine form with the bat as Essex Eagles went top of the NatWest T20 Blast South Division with a win over Gloucestershire.
Hamish Marshall's 74 had ensured the Eagles needed 163 to win at Chelmsford.
And Bopara's blistering 66, along with 55 from Tom Westley saw them home with nine balls to spare.
It made it five wins out of six for the Eagles so far in the competition, and puts them two points ahead of Hampshire and Glamorgan.
All five of Essex's wins so far this season have come when chasing, so it was no surprise when Ryan ten Doeschate opted to field after winning the toss.
And Gloucestershire struggled to get going early on, with David Masters removing openers Alex Gidman and Michael Klinger within five overs, and at the end of the powerplay, Gloucestershire were 45-2.
That became 45-3 off the first ball of the seventh over when Bopara bowled Ian Cockbain.
Marshall smacked eight fours in his 47-ball knock, and some late hitting from Cameron Herring - 23 from 13 balls - took the Gladiators past 160.
Masters was the pick of the bowlers with 2-17, while Tim Phillips took 1-20 in his four overs.
Essex lost Mark Pettini for 13 in the fifth over of their reply, but Jesse Ryder and Westley saw them to 51-1 at the end of the powerplay.
But they, like their visitors, lost a wicket from the first ball of the seventh over, Ryder caught behind off the bowling of Benny Howell for 25 from 18 balls.
But that would be the last success for the visitors, as Bopara blasted Essex home.
He hit six sixes and two fours in his 66 from 39 balls, while Westley had five fours and a six in his 42-ball 55.
That made it two wins out of two at Chelmsford for Essex so far this season, and after a four-day game at Hampshire which starts on Sunday, they host bottom of the table Middlesex on Friday night.
