moeen ali and riki wessels rewrote the record books on several fronts during worcestershire rapids memorable vitality blast quarter-final win over sussex sharks at hove yesterday evening.
their magnificent second wicket partnership of 177 was the highest for any worcestershire wicket in the 16 year history of t20 cricket.
it surpassed the previous best of 175 achieved by openers vikram solanki and graeme hick against northamptonshire at kidderminster in 2007.
the moeen-wessels stand is also the best by any county so far in the 2019 vitality blast.
it overtook the 165 by chris nash and alex hales for notts outlaws in their ten wicket win over middlesex in the previous evening’s quarter-final at trent bridge.
worcestershire’s previous best second wicket stand was the 149 put together by hick and ben smith versus glamorgan at New Road in 2005.
on an individual level moeen has equalled the most sixes – 11 – in a t20 innings by a worcestershire player.
he now jointly holds that record with ross whiteley who smashed 11 sixes in his 91 not out off 35 balls against yorkshire at headingley in 2015.
whiteley recently reached the 100 sixes mark for the rapids in t20 cricket.
moeen’s 121 not out was the third highest individual score by a rapids player in the t20 competition.
tom kohler-cadmore – 127 in 2016 – and joe clarke – 124 in 2017 – are the only players ahead of him with both their innings against durham at New Road.
