There is an undeniable element of romance that has been present throughout Worcestershire Rapids’ run to this year’s One Day Cup final.
After 21 years away from the 50-over showpiece event, Worcestershire will take on Hampshire, this Saturday, at Trent Bridge knowing a win will crown them as champions for just the second time this century in the format.
A superb group stage run that saw the Rapids lose just once, helped cement their place as group winners and ensured the side bypassed the quarter-finals, before welcoming Somerset to Visit Worcestershire New Road in a high-stakes knockout match.
A comprehensive DLS victory saw the home side progress into this weekend’s final, where Jake Libby’s side are looking to create their own piece of history.
The campaign kicked off with a thrilling last over tie against Notts Outlaws at Welbeck, in a dogged performance that saw Khurram Shahzad hold his nerve at the death to save his side from an unthinkable defeat.
With over 300 on the board courtesy of fine centuries from Jake Libby and Kashif Ali, three wickets from Ethan Brookes and two apiece from Matthew Waite and Brett D’Oliveira had seemingly set the visitors on their way to a comfortable win.
An eighth wicket stand of 71 and a ninth of 92 took the game to the final over, but Khurram showed his class by defending four to sneak his side a dramatic tie.
A turn in fortunes followed as the Rapids went unbeaten in their next three fixtures, securing wins against Essex, Hampshire and Derbyshire.
Half centuries for 17-year-old Isaac Mohammed, Kashif, Libby and Brookes saw the Rapids chalk up 340, before Brookes followed it up with three wickets as his team eased to a 60-run triumph.
Ben Allison stole the headlines in a convincing five-wicket win over Hampshire in game three, returning career best List A figures of 6-35 to dismantle the visitors for 194.
D’Oliveira recorded a fifty at the top of the order, while contributions from the Rapids dependable and consistent middle-order helped their side to victory in the 41st over.
A trip to the exquisite setting of Repton school was next on the agenda, in what proved to be arguably the most impressive result of the entire Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign.
Set a sizeable 315 to win on a postage stamp of a ground that favoured the batting side, Fateh Singh (3-58) bowled with excellent control to keep the Rapids in touch at the halfway stage.
D’Oliveira’s sensational run of form continued as he scored a fluent 138 from just 118 deliveries, anchoring the chase and putting Worcestershire in control by the time he was dismissed in the 43rd over.
Jake Libby’s 69 was important in it’s own right, but a debut to remember from 19-year-old Dan Lategan stole the headlines as he guided the Rapids home with a flawless 42 not-out to cap off a memorable day for Worcestershire and seal an impressive four-wicket win.
If the Rapids had not already been spoken about as contenders for this year’s 50-over title, they certainly were in wake of this result.
Unbeaten in four, the run had to come to an end somewhere along the way, with that moment arriving in a six-wicket humbling at the hands of table toppers Gloucestershire, with the Bristol-based outfit chasing down 237 with minimal fuss.
Five days later and it was Glamorgan who were the visitors to New Road, where a sublime, unbeaten century from the returning Rob Jones brought the crowd to their feet, with the number five playing a leading role in getting his team back to winning ways.
With wickets once again shared amongst the bowlers during a well-structured Glamorgan batting display, it was Dan Lategan’s 46 that kickstarted the run chase, before Jake Libby’s dismissal on 77 looked to have thrown a spanner in the Worcestershire works.
Undeterred however, Jones batted on for a magnificent 110 from 108 balls, sealing victory for his team in quite glorious fashion.
The high scoring theme of the competition showed no signs of slowing when the Foxes played host for the seventh group match at Leicestershire, in a game that saw 328 play 312.
A stunning second D’Oliveira century of the tournament, supported by 67 from the in-form Jones, had put Worcestershire in charge at the halfway stage.
Two early wickets from late call up Ben Gibbon and three more for Ben Allison had seemingly put the result out of question in the early exchanges, but a lower order repost from Ben Mike threatened to spoil the Rapids’ party.
His valiant 72 not-out wasn’t enough however, as the all-rounder’s best individual efforts left his side 16-runs short of a monumental upset with the Rapids marching on towards the knockout stages.
The group stage culminated in a heart-warming day at Visit Worcestershire New Road, as the club came together to celebrate the JB33 Foundation with a specially themed “Blue for Bakes” day.
Surrey were the visitors and were the next set of batters to be swept aside by Tom Taylor and Khurram Shahzad, with the two quicks taking two wickets apiece en route to restricting Surrey to 266-6.
In the most accomplished and complete performance in recent white ball memory, all of the Rapids batters chipped in on the way to a resounding six wicket win.
Lategan (54), D’Oliveira (45), Kashif (80) and 53 not-out from captain Libby eased Worcestershire over the line and secured the side their place in the last-four of the competition, qualifying as group winners.
With the chances of reaching a first List A final since 2004 resting on the result of a mouth-watering fixture against white ball juggernauts Somerset, all eyes were on the Rapids on the Sunday of semi-final day.
Expectations were high, with question marks raised over whether or not the young side could cope with the pressure of a knockout match.
They were answered rather emphatically as it transpired, with Worcestershire recording dominant 131-run DLS affected victory, with Somerset bowled out for 141 in reply to the Rapids’ earlier 275-9.
Underpinned by 78 from the impressive Lategan, at the top of the order, the manner of the win only added to the growing sense that the 2025 One Day Cup will be one to remember for the Worcestershire faithful.
