Fateh Singh is looking forward to enjoying valuable game time and making a positive contribution to Worcestershire Rapids’ Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign during his loan spell at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
The slow left armer has made the temporary move from Nottinghamshire for the 50 over competition and made an instant impact during Sunday’s 93 run win over visiting Durham.
Singh hit his maiden List A half century and helped Jake Libby in an invaluable partnership of 89 for the seventh wicket after coming to the wicket at 101-6.
He then picked up the prized wicket of Durham’s top scorer Ben McKinney (80) and bowled seven tidy overs for just 22 runs.
Singh has played primarily for Nottinghamshire Seconds this summer but is relishing this chance of a block of senior cricket as he now prepares for Friday’s One day Cup match with Derbyshire.
He said: “I want to get game time and to contribute to some success for the team.
“I struggled at Notts to get some real good game time going. Just play and show what I can do as a player.
“Normally at most counties, you lose quite a few players to the Hundred and you get opportunities. But at Notts this year we didn’t lose so many and we have got a very strong squad.
“To be able to come here, and for Worcestershire to give me a chance, is really special and I appreciate it so much.
“There are six more games in the group stages and it is a nice opportunity to get into a good rhythm.
“That’s something I’ve been building for a few weeks now in second team and club cricket.
It is nice to take that into professional cricket.”
Singh was delighted to make a positive contribution to Sunday’s success.
He said: “That victory was very special really. To come in on my debut and battle the way I did to help the team in a sticky situation was a good feeling.
“When I went out there, initially there were a few cobwebs there. I didn’t play a game last year so it was about getting back into the swing of things with 50 over cricket and how much time there is.
“We were six down when I came in. I only bat one way, and that’s positively, and I knew my options, I know my strengths and I just wanted to stick by them and it worked for me.
“I heard it announced that it was a record partnership when I was walking back into the changing room and I said ‘we could have set that a bit higher!’
“I got out with nine overs to go and personally I’m quite harsh on myself and I thought I left a few out there. I had a good chance to go ‘big’ but nonetheless it was my career best so it was really special.
“Then when we went out to bowl, we said we needed to get some early wickets and for Tom (Taylor) to start us off with three in the first over was brilliant. It was a really special win.”
Singh bowled in tandem with another spinner in Tom Hinley who ended with a five wicket haul.
He said: “I kept it tight and Tom the other end bowled very well and picked up the wickets. That is what bowling in partnerships and tandem is about.
“He got five, I got one, but he bowled really well. I thought I bowled well but it is just the way the cherry falls sometimes.”
Singh says he spoke to former Worcestershire players Dillon Pennington and Jack Haynes plus England’s Shoaib Bashir, who had a short loan spell at New Road, and they recommended the move.
He said: “I spoke to Dillon, Jack and also Shoaib Bashir, because I was 12th man with England, and he mentioned to me that I would enjoy it at Worcestershire like they all did.
“From what I’ve seen so far, it is true to what they’ve said.”
