The Cricketer looks at the main talking points from the T20 Blast match between Surrey and Essex Eagles at the Kia Oval
Michael Pepper and Dan Lawrence's second-wicket partnership worth 139, the best Essex T20 stand not involving Mark Pettini, was laden with brutal blows which worked to silence the Kia Oval.
Surrey had set 196 but that target looked inadequate when Essex reached the halfway mark 130 for 1.
But some sloppy running, a touch of nerves and the odd sloppy shot set up an exciting finale with eight needed off the last, to be bowled by Sean Abbott.
That then became three runs off one delivery with Feroze Khushi on strike.
Seventeen balls had passed since the last boundary by Khushi, 24, was unperturbed. He stepped back and hammered Abbott, who has closed out Big Bash League finals for Sydney Sixers, over deep midwicket.
His heart might have been in his mouth when he saw Chris Jordan motor towards the ball and cling on, but let out a huge sigh of relief when Surrey couldn't complete the relay catch.
It perhaps wasn't technically the shot of the day, but there were none more important or under more pressure. And if the Eagles go all the way again, repeating the heroics of 2019, they will look back at this moment as a vital juncture.
Chris Jordan rallied his troops in the closing stages (Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Surrey CCC)
With Surrey facing a third defeat in a row as Essex raced into the ascendency in the chase, they showed a glimpse of the threat they could be in knock-out cricket when things start to get tight.
There was a feeling Jordan was treating the last 10 overs as a match within a match, taking the leaf out of Eoin Morgan's book who loved putting England under pressure on their way to 2019 World Cup glory.
He used five bowlers in all, giving three overs to Sunil Narine, and squeezed the scoring rate to such an extent they almost grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.
They delivered 13 dots, took six wickets and totally crippled the chase.
Credit must also go to the fielding, particularly that of Jason Roy who affected two run-outs, which was outstanding when the going got tough.
Granted, Essex got over the line through a display of guts but it was a reminder that though Surrey enter the quarterfinals off the back of three straight losses, and four in their last five, they'll be a threat in tight situations at the back-end.
One final flourish for Dan Lawrence? (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
"There are no guarantees but as long as I am doing what I'm told, putting the right foot forward and the attitude is good off the field I will be giving myself the best possible chance."
If Khushi is to be the successor to Dan Lawrence with the bat - and it is perhaps too early to be scrutinising his progress - then he showed plenty about his temperament for the big occasion at the Kia Oval.
Surrey looked set to pull the rug from beneath Essex in a run-chase which for so long they looked in complete control of.
With three needed off the last, Khushi kept his cool to win the game with remarkable fashion off Abbott.
After registering career-best scores in all three competitions during 2022, fellow academy graduate Khushi has kicked on this summer.
This term, he is averaging 35.33 in the LV= Insurance County Championship, better than Nick Browne, and 25.54 in the Blast - ahead of Matt Critchley, Paul Walter and Adam Rossington.
The Royal London Cup will be another important moment before Lawrence flies the nest to Surrey next season. Then the stage is his to become the latest successful product off the club's production line.
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