Alex Gidman is confident Worcestershire Rapids are capable of putting together a winning run and climbing the Vitality Blast table after facing the challenge of a “very brutal start” to their North Group campaign.
The Rapids launched the 2022 programme with four successive away games against Yorkshire Vikings, Notts Outlaws, this Sunday’s opponents, Lancashire Lightning, and then Durham.
But Gidman saw an improvement in performance against the Outlaws, who won with just two balls to spare at Trent Bridge, compared to the loss against the Vikings at Headingley 48 hours earlier.
He said: “We are all aware it is a very brutal start to a campaign. Three or four outstanding teams, all away from home, the fixtures very close to each other, with very little preparation for the competition.
“But we knew that was coming. The flip side is if we can pinch a win and then we know we’ve got some very tough games out of the way.
“So I’m fully confident we can get on a run at some stage and give ourselves a chance of climbing the table.
“I can’t fault the effort or the desire to do the right things. We were really, really close (against Notts). We feel we improved on Wednesday’s performance against another very good team at a tough place to come and play cricket. We were just a little bit short in both departments.
“We try and take every game as deep as possible, which is something Mo (Moeen Ali) has installed in the group, and I thought we did that really, really well, gave ourselves a chance.
“We didn’t quite get the skill sets quite right and against very good experienced teams, you get punished.
“We had ambitions to win every game. That is easier said than done but I’m very confident that at some stage we will get on a run ourselves and we can get ourselves well and truly into the competition.
“It is very early days and we certainly haven’t not performed. We just haven’t done quite enough to get over the line against two very good teams.”
There is less than 48 hours between game with the Outlaws and Sunday’s visit to Old Trafford.
Gidman said: “We kind of planned for these four games so we know what is happening. Things won’t change too much.
“We whizzed home Friday tonight, had a whole day off on Saturday and then will get back on the coach on Sunday and travel back up north, but it’s part of the fun to be totally honest.
“The lads are in great spirits, they are a very tight bunch and we are very positive about what we can achieve and will look forward to the next challenge on Sunday.”
The Rapids have named a 13 strong squad – the 11 in action at Trent Bridge plus pace bowler Pat Brown and wicket-keeper-batter Gareth Roderick.
Brown and Roderick both played in the opening game of the tournament versus Yorkshire Vikings.
WORCESTERSHIRE RAPIDS (from):
Ed Pollock
Brett D’Oliveira
Jack Haynes
Colin Munro
Jake Libby
Ben Cox (c and w)
Ed Barnard
Matthew Waite
Josh Baker
Dillon Pennington
Charlie Morris
Pat Brown
Gareth Roderick
