Tickets sales for Worcestershire Rapids forthcoming trio of home games in the NatWest T20 Blast are flourishing after the side's outstanding run of success in the competition.
Six successive wins have propelled the Rapids to the top of the North Group and challenging for a place in the quarter-finals although no-one is taking anything for granted.
They entertain Nottinghamshire Outlaws this Friday at New Road (5.30pm start) and then play host to Yorkshire Vikings on Friday, July 4 and Lancashire Lightning – who may have Andrew Flintoff in their ranks – on Sunday, July 6.
Last Friday's local derby with Birmingham Bears was a 5,000 plus sell-out and also brought record sales in the club shop where the £35 Rapids replica shirts are now on sale – the cheapest of all 18 first class counties.
Business director Jon Graham expects the games with the Vikings and Lightning to also be close to full houses while there has been an encouraging response to tickets for the Outlaws encounter.
He said: "Regarding tickets for this Friday, we had a higher than normal ticket sales over the weeked. People pretty much were getting on line straight after the win against Birmingham. It is looking pretty strong.
"If we can get more of the same with the weather, with winning six on the trot, people will start to order more during the week and then we will get a decent walk-up on Friday if the weather is settled.
"Ticket sales have been strong all year and we are happy with how it's going. The game that is selling really well is Lancashire a week on Sunday.
"I think there is a bit of the Andrew Flintoff factor with Lancashire. We don't know if he is going to play or not.
"He was in the squad for the last game and, if he does play between now and then or is in the squad, people will come because who wouldn't want to come and see Freddie in action?
"I think the Yorkshire and Lancashire games will be pretty damm close to being sell-outs. Neither of them have been to New Road for a while in T20 and they are well supported themselves.
"But from our point of view I think in general success breeds success and the more we win, the more tickets we are going to sell."
Graham, a lifelong Worcestershire fan, is delighted the new Rapids brand has gone hand in hand with success on the field so far this season.
He said: "We sort of drew a line in the sand with the Royals and not having a brand and then coming up with something a bit different.
"It is nice to have a brand now that is associated with winning. The Rapids are certainly associated with that. We have yet to lose at New Road with the new brand touchwood and long may that it continue.
"We are in a position now where we don't want to tempt fate and start talking about quarter-finals but, the way this club is now run, we've got to try and factor everything in and should we get a home quarter-final, then we will be ready for it."
