Worcestershire batter Rob Jones is relishing facing Lancashire Lightning for the first time in Friday’s Vitality Blast encounter at Visit Worcestershire New Road and is backing the Rapids to have “a strong chance” of glory in this summer’s competition.
Jones spent his career at Old Trafford before an initial loan move to Worcestershire last summer for the Metro Bank One Day Cup and then signing a three year contract.
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He scored 42 against Worcestershire for his former club in the Blast last summer but Friday evening is the first opportunity to reverse the roles.
He said: “It’s always exciting to play any former team and Lancashire has got a special place in my heart. They gave me the opportunity to be a professional cricketer.
“I’m just relishing the challenge to go out and play against them. I’m not putting any pressure on the game.
“We’ll have a bit of banter but it’s just another game of cricket against some old friends and a bit of competition will be great.
“As a team at Worcestershire, the lads have been brilliant. I’ve settled in, they’ve made me feel so welcome as a player.
“I’m loving my cricket down here. It’s been fantastic. I would have liked to contribute more but still a lot of cricket to be played.”
Jones is confident the Rapids can make a big impact in the T20 competition.
He said: “Last year the club did very well, got to the quarter- finals. I think we will have a strong chance.
“Worcestershire won it not long ago in 2018 and, whenever I’ve played against them, they have always been very competitive, very energetic and always given it everything they’ve got.
“Hopefully we win as many games as we can and get to those latter stages again.”
Worcestershire Rapids
2 Jake Libby
3 Josh Cobb
6 Matthew Waite
7 Ed Pollock
9 Gareth Roderick (w)
12 Tom Taylor
15 Brett D’Oliveira (w)
20 Nathan Smith
21 Ben Gibbon
54 Adam Hose
61 Adam Finch
77 Ethan Brookes
86 Hayden Walsh
88 Rob Jones
