Alan Richardson has praised Worcestershire batter Taylor Cornall for quickly adjusting to the demands of playing at the top of the order in white-ball cricket as he prepares for Tuesday’s Royal London Cup meeting with holders Glamorgan at New Road.
Cornall featured in the middle order for Lancashire Lightning in the competition last summer and started off in a similar role for the Rapids during the current campaign.
But he has found his way into the opening slot and built on solid performances of 58 against Lancashire and 61 versus Northamptonshire Steelbacks with a fine 97 in Friday’s win over Essex Eagles.
Richardson, overseeing the RLC with Kadeer Ali, said: “Delighted with Taylor’s progression? We see him as a top-order batter-top three batter in both game formats (red and white ball).
“He had already played a little bit for Lancashire last year but as a middle-order batter. That’s how he got into our side at the start of the competition.
“But he has obviously had some opportunities at the top, and his innings against Essex was a real mature one.
“He played at a really good tempo, with a lot of intent to score and to continue to score at a good rate.
“Disappointed for him not to reach that milestone of a century, but he should be extremely proud of that innings which helped us to win a game of cricket.”
Cornall played with a greater degree of fluency against the Eagles than during his previous two fifty-plus knocks in the 50-over competition.
Richardson said: “He and Kadeer had some really nice conversations along the way, and we don’t expect guys to come in straight away and absolutely hammer their position and be able to fulfil their role.
“But it hasn’t taken Taylor long. He played a couple of innings where he batted for a period of time, and this was the third one, where the tempo he played at gave us a real good opportunity to win the game.”
Worcestershire have named an unchanged 14-strong squad, and pace bowler Josh Tongue will be looking to build on his promising comeback against Essex after 14 months out with a shoulder problem.
Richardson said: “I thought he did really well. He gave us some nice potency in the middle of the innings and took a couple of really important wickets for us.
“He is a really popular member of the club and the squad, so to see Josh back and playing, and playing an important part in a win, was really enjoyable for everyone.
“Just to watch him play a competitive game at that intensity, without playing a Seconds game and only a couple of club games, and play as well as he did, just shows the level he can perform at and beyond.”
The Rapids will be looking to end the competition on a high note against a Glamorgan side that still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Richardson said: “The guys play to win games of cricket, that’s what it is all about, and to lose the first five on the bounce is not easy.
“As tough as that was, there was always a belief if we put together a performance, whether that be collectively as a team or if someone stood up and gave us that opportunity to win a game, then we could take it and hopefully build confidence and a little bit of momentum.
“It started with Azhar Ali’s innings at Northampton, where he batted beautifully and helped us win a game of cricket, and we continued that nicely into the Essex game.
“For me, there is never a dead game of cricket. For the guys who are playing, it’s a sense of representing the club, a sense of pride in their own performance and trying to win games of cricket.
“No one likes losing being in a changing room after you have lost a game of cricket. For me, there will never be a dead game.
“Glamorgan started the competition strongly, lost a bit of ground in the middle and then won their last game, so they will be trying to take their opportunity. They won it last year, and they will want to defend it.”
Joe Leach will come back into contention to play after being rested against Essex.
Richardson said: “It was always the plan to rotate the seamers if we got the chance, and we haven’t had that chance until Josh (Tongue) came into the equation.
“All the young bowlers deserve their opportunity to develop along the way and also give Joe a bit of a break.
“He’s done quite a bit this year already and will continue to have quite a workload going forward.”
WORCESTERSHIRE RAPIDS SQUAD VS GLAMORGAN:
ED POLLOCK
TAYLOR CORNALL
JAKE LIBBY ©
ED BARNARD
BEN COX (w)
GARETH RODERICK
JOE LEACH
REEVE EVITTS
DILLON PENNINGTON
JOSH TONGUE
ADAM FINCH
BEN GIBBON
HENRY CULLEN
OLLY DAVIDSON
