The recruitment of Dwayne Bravo proved a costly mistake for Essex as the West Indian failed with bat and ball as Hampshire reached the Friends Provident t20 final for the first time at The Rose Bowl.

Bravo, flown over from the West Indies at great expense for one day only, made just five runs and then shelled 46 in four overs as the hosts took a six-wicket win.

Out-of-form England opener Alastair Cook made a breezy 38 as Essex made 156 for six but the nearest challenger for his spot, Michael Carberry, saw his side home with a nerveless 17 not out, including the winning boundary.

Hampshire started their chase positively, with the in-form Jimmy Adams depositing Bravo over mid-wicket for six in the second over.

Pakistan's Abdul Razzaq followed suit soon after, taking two fours off the all-rounder as his first 12 deliveries leaked 20.

Razzaq's assault continues with four down the ground off Chris Wright and a drilled six to bring up the Hampshire 50 off compatriot Danish Kaneria.

Razzaq had 44 off 31 balls when he miscued Wright to Ravi Bopara at point, but Adams and James Vince moved the total to 75 after 10 overs.

James Foster, usually so impressive with the gloves, missed a regulation stumping off Kaneria to reprieve Adams, who duly swept the next ball to the ropes.

Foster made amends in the 13th over, stumping Vince for 15 and Adams (34) followed quickly, Bopara striking to make it 101 for three.

Those wickets stalled the hosts, who saw the required rate edge over 10 with four overs left.

Sean Ervine took six and four off the first two balls of Bravo's comeback over, but the bowler responded by locating his middle stump.

Bravo shipped 12 off the 19th over, leaving a target of just five more, Carberry and Neil McKenzie reaching that with four balls spare.

All eyes were on the out-of-sorts Cook as finals day got under way but he was denied the strike early on as Mark Pettini set about busily picking up ones and twos.

The England man hit his first boundary in the fourth over, an unconvincing bottom edge to long leg, but he soon hit his stride. The left-hander clubbed two big sixes into the onside as Essex picked up the rate after adding 48 in the six powerplay overs, while Pettini cashed in having been dropped by Dominic Cork on 25.

Cook was looking confident when he fell softly, steering a loose Dan Christian delivery into the hands of Danny Briggs at short fine leg for a 22-ball 38.

Danger man Bopara then came and went for just two, wicketkeeper Michael Bates taking a smart catch off the impressive Briggs.

The 19-year-old spinner added a second wicket when Ryan ten Doeschate holed out to long-on for a single and Pettini (56) became his third victim shortly after bringing up a well-paced half-century.

Bravo's dismal display then began as he was run out by Chris Wood for a scratchy five.

With five overs remaining the scoreboard read 117 for five, with 39 runs and two wickets coming before the end.