Match Preview: Worcestershire Rapids v Gloucestershire
30 August 2020
A trip to last season’s Vitality Blast finalists Worcestershire Rapids presents Gloucestershire the opportunity to quickly get over Saturday’s defeat to Glamorgan.
Both teams have not had the best start to the T20 competition with a washout and home defeat on both club’s records.
IMPORTANT: Members of Gloucestershire Cricket will be able to watch the match via the Worcestershire website and will be emailed the set up process in due course. Should you have any issues please contact Worcestershire's Ticketing & Membership Department on 01905 337921.
There were positives to take from Gloucestershire’s loss to Glamorgan such as Graeme van Buuren who made 53 off 27 to give the home side a chance of somehow pulling the game back in heir favour. He admitted the team needs to not dwell on the loss and look forward to the next game.
“We have to bounce back quickly. We are a good T20 side and we’ve shown that over the last couple of years through reaching the quarterfinals.
We need to be a unit and play as a team rather than individuals and if we do that and put our heads down and work hard then I’m sure we will be better for Worcestershire.”
George Scott made his T20 debut for The Shire and was impressive in the field although he didn’t get the opportunity to bowl. He accelerated the run rate late on for Gloucestershire making 33 off 24 from number seven and his partnership of 27 with van Buuren was the joint highest of the game for the team.
Van Buuren was also the most economical bowler for Gloucestershire but Ryan Higgins was the man to pick up the wickets, he took 3 for 29 while David Payne still waits just one wicket away from taking a century of T20 wickets.
Richard Dawson has named an unchanged squad for the trip to Worcester:
Gloucestershire will need more runs from their opening three batsmen if they are going to trouble Worcestershire although the Rapids were lacking in the batting department in their first match.
Losing wickets wasn’t the issue for Worcestershire but a low strike rate meant they couldn’t capitalise on their top order staying at the crease. Hamish Rutherford was the only wicket to fall in the opening seven overs but only 43 runs were on the board.
Only one boundary came from the openers which is a major issue that Rutherford and Wessels will be hoping to fix as their team lies bottom in boundaries hit among teams that have played before Sunday.
Paul Stirling was able to make light work of the 124 total that Worcestershire posted making 80 not out for Northants. Only one wicket fell in the Northants innings as Levi was out to Pennington 33.
One thing Worcestershire can be happy about is Pat Brown's availability after being released from the England bubble.
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