During a summer that carried Worcestershire supporters on a winding, often unpredictable journey, one figure maintained his stance of certainty at Visit Worcestershire New Road: the ever-assured Jake Libby.
Across all formats, the opener displayed the poise and composure that characterise his time at the club, stringing together performances that not only underpinned Worcestershire’s campaign but propelled the side to a landmark first piece of List A silverware in 18 years.
It is little wonder that, when reflecting on the season, Libby singled out the Metro Bank One Day Cup triumph as the defining moment.
In poetic fashion, the former Nottinghamshire batter returned to Trent Bridge, lifting a trophy in front of his family at a place he once called home.
After one of his most fruitful summers since joining Worcestershire in 2019, Libby took a moment to reflect on what had been a fairytale ending to an unforgettable campaign.
“I think when you win a trophy, that always makes it a special year. Obviously, getting relegated wasn’t ideal, but I think all the lads, on reflection, will remember this year for the rest of their lives.
“Winning trophies is something you play for as a cricketer. It was a really special day at Trent Bridge, one I’ll remember for a long time. I’ve been playing for 10 years now and I’ve been in sides that have won trophies, but I’d never been fully involved in a competition like this. That competition was really special for me.
“When you sit down at the end of your career, these are the days you remember. We had a fantastic tournament, which made it a great month for the club. It had been a tough year, we’d been on the wrong end of results quite a bit, so to have a month where we dominated really was extra special.”
This year’s campaign felt a world away from the frustrations of 2024. Head Coach Alan Richardson began the tournament with a squad at a near-perfect bill of health, with Adam Hose the only absentee due to his commitments with The Hundred.
Primed with a full-strength squad at his disposal, Worcestershire were earmarked as potential favourites from the outset.
Libby wasted no time underlining that status. In the opening match against Notts Outlaws, he launched his List A season in impeccable fashion, producing a sublime century that set the tone for what would become an imperious run of form.
When Brett D’Oliveira’s injury thrust the captaincy upon him, Libby rose yet further, crafting four more half-centuries through August while calmly steering the side into the final. His tournament concluded with a trophy held aloft, an extraordinary average of 59.87 and the admiration of a forever appreciative fanbase.
Yet, even with his own form drawing headlines, Libby was eager to spotlight the structure and balance that allowed the Rapids to write their history.
“We had a full squad available, which was massive, and some of the youngsters came through brilliantly. Everyone knew their roles and everyone performed at the right time, so as captain, I looked around and knew we had match winners everywhere.
“There were a couple of close games where things could have gone either way, but we just had that bit of quality.”
While newcomer Dan Lategan impressed with the bat, it was the bowling group that truly came of age under Libby’s leadership. The attack became a flexible, interchangeable unit, consistantly striking at crucial moments, with Khurram Shahzad, Tom Taylor and Ethan Brookes all rotated to manage workloads.
It was Ben Allison, however, who emerged as the standout, finishing as the competition’s leading wicket taker with 19 scalps at a fraction under 18 apiece, including devastating figures of 6-35 against Hampshire.
“I had so many options with the ball”, Libby explained. “Anyone could bowl at any time, even at the death we had four guys who wanted that role. Benny was exceptional against Hampshire and throughout the competition, but the others supported him brilliantly.
“In previous years we’d struggled to find the right formula with the bowlers, but this year we had options everywhere. We stuck to a plan and it worked. It was the perfect balance.
“I guess winning breeds winning. There was a really special buzz around the place, and we turned home into a bit of a fortress.”
While the One Day Cup triumph will remain the centrepiece of Worcestershire’s 2025 story, Libby also carved out a personal milestone of considerable significance. In the final Rothesay County Championship match of the season against Sussex, he passed 1,000 Division One runs for the summer, welcomed by a rousing ovation from spectators on the penultimate afternoon of the year.
It capped a prolific red-ball campaign that included a stunning career-best 228* against Hampshire in July, where Libby’s two day batting marathon summarised his resolute and staunch defiance that was on show for all to see throughout 2025.
“I’ve reflected on it a bit more now,” Libby admitted. “It felt a really tough season as a batter, so getting 1,000 Division One runs makes me feel this was probably my best year as a player.
“I had to score a lot of those runs when the scenarios were right, but I’ve been fairly consistent at the top for a number of years now, so it was nice to tick off that 1,000 in Division One.
“Hampshire was a big one—when I got in, I wanted to go really big to compensate for the times earlier in the season where I couldn’t. That big partnership with Hosey was special and one I’ll remember for a long time.
“Overall, it felt like last season, whenever I got a decent opportunity, I capitalised. And when we’re back in training, the aim is to kick on again next year.”
