Worcestershire Rapids recorded a vital and comprehensive Vitality Blast over Kent Spitfires by 83 runs in the crossover fixture at New Road.
Put in on a bowler-friendly pitch, the Rapids were lifted to 142 for seven by Adam Hose (47 from 41 balls) and Sikandar Raza, on his farewell appearance before leaving for international duty, who struck 43 from 31.
Kent’s bowlers, led by Matt Milnes (4-0-20-3) and Keith Dudgeon (4-0-22-1), sustained pressure throughout but their batters then imploded to the county’s lowest ever Blast total. The Spitfires were all out for just 59 in 14.1 overs as Usama Mir delivered 4-0-14-2, Raza 3-0-8-2 and Ben Allisom 2-0-9-2
Both sides began their first ever Blast meeting having won four and lost four in this year’s comp so were well aware that one more defeat would leave them playing serious catch-up with time running out. Kent were quickest out of the blocks, restricting the Rapids to 27 for two in the powerplay. Dudgeon bowled three excellent overs while Tom Rogers and Milnes conceded just three runs from the first two overs from the New Road End.
When Gareth Roderick sliced Jake Lintott to extra cover, the Rapids were 44 for three in the ninth over but Hose and Raza rebuilt with a stand of 68 in eight overs. Acceleration was a while coming – the first six of the innings, from Raza, arrived from its 87th ball. Raza socked the second four balls later but then had his middle-stump plucked out by Milnes.
Milnes collected his third wicket when Matthew Waite (17. 11) chopped to short third man. Hose perished when he lifted a pull to deep square and the Rapids appeared to come in slightly under par. They knew they would have to bowl well to win. They did.
Kent‘s reply started badly as they dipped to 16 for three. Harry Finch was bowled leg-stump by Tom Taylor before Allison struck twice in his first three balls. His first was swatted to short fine leg by Daniel Bell-Drummond. His third was a beauty which hit Sam Billings’ off-stump.
The Spitfires were a parlous 32 for three after the powerplay. Thirteen balls later they were 39 for six after Raza’s fourth ball trapped Joe Denly lbw, Mir’s first had Zak Crawley caught behind and Raza’s seventh was brainlessly lifted to long off by Rogers.
Lintott was run out when his former Warwickshire colleague Chris Benjamin declined to take a single. Benjamin was then plum lbw to Mir and the ignominious collapse concluded when in appropriate fashion with another careless run out when Dudgeon jogged a single and was beaten by Taylor’s throw.
Rapids all-rounder Sikandar Raza said: “It’s one thing to win the game but we needed to improve our run-rate so to win by 80 runs was very good. It helps keep our dream alive and the run-rate could be very crucial. It was a very good win.
“I thought we left some runs out there but I said to Hosey if we could get to around 150 we would be in a good position. Credit to Hosey, the way he hit the ball and carried the team to the last over. He did really well to get us to a competitive total.
“Then things went our way with the ball but I think we did a lot of things right as well. After we finished well with the bat we had the momentum on our side and those early wickets certainly helped build it.
“Once we had that momentum what we did really well as a bowling unit is keep up the pressure and stay on top. Their wickets fell in clusters and the win just got closer and closer for us.”
Kent batter Joe Denly said:”It was a very disappointing day, no doubt about that. A pretty convincing loss on a tough pitch.
“They played pretty well with the bat to get themselves up to a competitive total on a used wicket, I think it was the fourth time they have used that pitch. Then with the bat we never really got going.
“We were a bit tentative all the way through and let them bowl at us a little but. We didn’t really throw any punches back. They have got two world-class spinners who came on after they had a good start in the powerplay and really closed the game out which is very frustrating.”