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Chase falls away as Rapids slide to defeat

Published 04/07/2025

Worcestershire Rapids T20 Blast quarter-final hopes hang in the balance, as Yorkshire’s imposing 233-6 proved 41 runs too many for the visitors on Friday night.

T20 debutant Ben Allison had the most fruitful evening with the ball as he collected two-wickets on debut, but a 134-run second-wicket partnership helped Yorkshire motor to 233-6 at the end of their 20 overs.

In response, the Rapids lacked any substantial partnerships, as momentum was hard to come by, with only Brett D’Oliveira (53) and Ben Dwarshuis (42*) making contributions of note.

Losing a cluster of four wickets for as many runs late on, the Rapids eventually fell 41-runs short of the target, leaving their qualification hopes up in the air as the side head to Northants on Sunday.

 

A frantic start to proceedings before the start of the match saw scheduled debutant Khurram Shahzad withdrawn from the Rapids’ starting XI, which included the returning Brett D’Oliveira, after picking up an injury in the warm-up, causing a late call-up for Ben Allison, who would also be making his Rapids T20 debut.

Winning the toss and opting to field, the Rapids had early vindication of their decision to bowl first as they made two breakthroughs inside the powerplay.

In the first over, it was Tom Taylor (1-33) who removed England star Jonny Bairstow when he was caught by Ben Dwarshuis at mid-off, giving the visitors a dream-start on their return to T20 action.

Three overs later and it was the man on debut, Allison, (2-35) who picked up the key wicket of Dawid Malan, for just four, as the Rapids looked to stem the flow of runs on an overcast evening at Headingley.

The next spell of the game belonged to Yorkshire’s Will Luxton and James Wharton, who came together in style to blitz the Worcestershire bowlers in a 134-run partnership that lasted almost 11 overs.

Allison, had the chance to dismiss Luxton, on 75, but failed to hold on, off the bowling of Fateh Singh, who was wicketless for 28 runs from his three-overs.

D’Oliveira shuffled his pack during the middle overs, as he rotated seven bowlers during the innings.

Luxton was eventually removed in the 16th over for 81, when Allison returned to remove the Yorkshire number three, as their progress was checked at 176-3.

The momentum was all with the hosts, as they reached the 200-mark in the 18th over, eyeing their highest ever total against the Rapids in T20 Cricket, which stood at 233.

Dwarshuis came back to remove Sutherland for 14, before the Wharton onslaught was brought to a close when Waite ran the batter out for 88, as Yorkshire closed their innings on an imposing 233-6.

Returning skipper Brett D’Oliveira made positive inroads from the get-go for the visitors, but they were dealt an early double-blow when both Isaac Mohammed (17) and Kashif Ali (0) were dismissed in successive deliveries, as they were reduced to 24-2.

Adam Hose, fresh off his record-breaking County Championship score of 266 earlier in the week, was unable to replicate his earlier antics as he was removed for 8 – when Ethan Brookes came to the crease to join his captain.

The pair put on a sublime partnership of 83, with Brookes playing a typically inventive and busy cameo of 38 from 23 balls, before he fell in 12th over, while D’Oliveira batted on, carrying Worcestershire’s best hope at 120-4.

He raised his bat for a superb half-century, but, with the Rapids still marginally behind the required run-rate, he was forced to kick-on through the gears.

The rapturous response from the home fans signalled the removal of the key man, as D’Oliveira exited for 53, with the Rapids now needing upwards of 12 an over to stay in touch.

At a time where the Rapids could not afford to slip-up, disaster struck, as they lost four wickets for four runs that ended any chances of a famous away victory.

Roderick, Waite, Taylor and Allison all fell within two-overs of one another, and despite a valiant late salvo from Ben Dwarshuis (42* off 17), the Rapids were left to lament an underwhelming end to their batting innings, as they fell to a 41-run defeat.