Ben Allison’s career best figures of 6-35 helped Worcestershire secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Hampshire in Group A of the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Allison bowled with pace and control from the outset, as regular wickets stunted Hampshire’s progress, with Nick Gubbins’ half-century the highlight in Hampshire’s total of 196 all-out.
In reply, a composed 52 from Brett D’Oliveira and thirties from Kashif Ali and Jake Libby put the hosts in control of their chase as Hampshire’s bowlers struggled.
A quick fire cameo from Ethan Brookes saw the hosts ease their way to a convincing five-wicket win and continue their unbeaten start to the Group stage.
Basked in sunshine, a resplendent Visit Worcestershire New Road played host to Hampshire in the Rapids’ third game of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, with the hosts eager to back up Sunday’s handsome win over Essex.
Losing the toss and unsurprisingly being asked to take the field in idyllic batting conditions, captain Jake Libby threw the new ball to seamer Ben Allison who opened proceedings from the New Road in.
In front of a packed crowd, Allison delivered a near perfect start for his side, as he drew Ali Orr into a prod at a full delivery outside his off-stump in the first over of the contest, before he accounted for the vital wicket of Tilak Varma, without scoring.
The Hampshire number three was dealt a near unplayable delivery, and stuck in two minds, Varma chose to leave a ball that straightened enough to clip the top of his off-stump and leave the away side 14-2.
Matthew Waite was unlucky not to get a third wicket for the Rapids when he had a chance dropped off his bowling at second slip, as Allison failed to hold on to a tough opportunity low down to his left.
Hampshire rallied and past 50 in the 11th over of the day, as the sun continued to beat down and boundaries became more difficult for the hosts to restrict.
Appearing for the first time this season, youngster Jack Home entered the attack for the hosts, while Adam Finch joined from the Diglis End in search of a third wicket.
Although Home initially struggled for rhythm, it was Finch who took the third Hampshire wicket, when Brandon McMullen mistimed a drive and chipped the ball to Kashif Ali at extra cover, who took the catch at the second time of asking.
Nick Gubbins continued on his way to a typically busy half-century, but Hampshire were dealt a blow when Joe Weatherley’s afternoon was brought to a premature end as he retired hurt, unable to continue having been struck on the hand earlier in his innings.
So often the man of the moment for Worcestershire this season, Ethan Brookes (10-0-38-1) made the vital breakthrough against the run of play, when he trapped Gubbins LBW for 60.
Worcestershire youngster, Jack Home, returned to the action after a turbulent two-over spell earlier on in the piece to spark the biggest reaction from the crowd of the day when he zipped a ball through the defences of England U19 teammate Ben Mayes, breaking part of the middle stump as the home side tightened their grip on the first-innings.
At 121-5, unsure of Weatherley’s fitness and faltering on the back of the metronomic Brookes spell, a sixth-wicket partnership of 62 between Tom Prest and Felix Organ provided some stability for the visitors.
Returning to the attack with a spring in his step, Allison picked up where he left off from his opening spell of the day, as he broke the lower-order rearguard with a length ball that caught the edge of Organ’s bat and was taken comfortably behind by Henry Cullen.
His fourth dismissal of the day was a rather more acrobatic one, plucking a stunning one-handed catch off his own bowling that spelt the end of Prest for 36.
The seamer capped a sensational day with two more wickets in his final over, as he returned career-best List A figures of 6-35 to bundle Hampshire out for a below par 196.
Isaac Mohammed fell early in the reply when he was LBW for 10, but Kashif Ali and Brett D’Oliveira put on 59 for the third wicket, with Kashif continuing his excellent run in the competition as he searched for a third consecutive half-century.
He perished 18 runs short of the milestone however when he found Prest at mid-off, but his departure didn’t halt the hosts momentum as they batted on past 100 in the 22nd over.
D’Oliveira made his way to a composed half-century from 79-balls as Worcestershire strolled through the middle overs, but Hampshire had a brief moment of optimism Brandon McCullen struck in the 30th over to see the back of D’Oliveira.
Ethan Brookes and Jake Libby came together, with Ethan Brookes’ quick fire cameo of 35 from 24 balls propelling the home side up to 168-4, before he was LBW, followed soon after in the same vein by Libby, as the Rapids skipper was given out for 32.
Those wickets did not derail what was in truth a comfortable chase for the Rapids, as Matthew Waite and Henry Cullen batted through the remainder of the chase to secure a five-wicket win with more than ten overs in tact.
