Worcestershire Women’s Rapids claimed a commanding six-wicket victory against Sussex Sharks at New Road, keeping hopes of Vitality Blast T20 qualification very much alive, as Ed Wilson’s side displayed a dominant display with the bat.
Led by Captain Clare Boycott (3-23), the Rapids bowlers impressed, having restricted the visitors to 25-1 from the powerplay, before eventually finishing on 120-6.
Madison Windeatt then enjoyed another standout performance with the bat in just her second Rapids appearance, leading Ed Wilson’s side to 45-1 from the powerplay.
Gwen Davies returned from injury to contribute a fluent 41, as Windeatt finished on 46, having spearheaded a resounding six-wicket Worcestershire win.
The Rapids returned to New Road ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Sussex Sharks, knowing a win would keep their T20 Vitality Blast qualification hopes alive.
Captain Boycott won the toss and elected to bowl first, under changeable overhead conditions in Worcester, with Jess Beach assuming her accustomed role opening the bowling.
Going for just three runs in her first over, youngster Caitlin Baker-Smith returned in the fourth, and it was off her bowling that Jess Beach and Liv Gough linked up well to run Molly Adams out for six.
A change of bowlers saw Meg Bishop and Amy Maund enter the fray to great effect, as Sussex were restricted to 25-1 at the conclusion of the powerplay.
The Rapids would have been all too familiar with Sharks’ opener Izzy Collis, who notched a century when the two sides met on the opening day of the summer in the fifty-over format. And it was Collis, together with Shristi Patil, who steadied the ship and saw the away side past 50 runs.
Despite an encouraging start, the Rapids had to wait until the 12th over for their next breakthrough, as Amy Griffiths lured the dangerous Collis into a mistimed drive that was gratefully caught at extra cover by Boycott, in what was a standout maiden over from Griffiths.
Sensing the need to push on, Patil and new-batter Chiara Green went to work, taking 10 off each of the next two overs before Boycott wrestled momentum firmly back for the Rapids.
Griffiths demonstrated lightning-fast reactions to take an expert grab at cover to see the back of Green (13), as the Worcestershire captain then pinned Phoebe Wilkinson LBW two balls later, leaving the Sharks reeling at 90-4.
With the away side having just nudged over the 100-run mark in the 17th over, it was Boycott again who rounded off her three-wicket haul, this time snaring Patil in front, having made an imperative 37 in Sussex’s quest for a second Blast victory of the season.
Mature spells with the ball from Bishop and Lucy Harris saw Sussex remain within chasing distance, as Harris grabbed herself a wicket in the final over, sending Talitha Stanley’s middle stump tumbling down the ground, before the Sharks closed on 120-6.
In search of 121 to win, Madison Windeatt headed for the middle with Amy Griffiths, fresh from last week’s debut against Surrey.
Griffiths graciously dispatched a full toss to the ropes in the second over, showing early promise, but lost her wicket in the fifth as she departed for seven.
In at three and having returned from injury, Gwen Davies joined Windeatt and looked keen to make up for her missed time, ruthlessly crunching three boundaries in the fifth over to push Worcestershire into a commanding position at 45-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Windeatt herself was finding the rope but assumed a supportive role as Davies continued to flex her muscles, utilising all areas of the ground to feather a four down fine leg, as the Rapids raced past 50 runs in just the seventh over.
Having been put down by a Sussex fielder the next ball, Davies continued in determined fashion, until ultimately coming undone at the start of the 11th over, when she was caught having attempted the reverse sweep, leaving the field for an authoritative 41 runs off 21 deliveries.
Now at 84-2, Windeatt, who was ticking along nicely, resumed a starring role.
Despite Ebony-Jade Tweats falling for six in a quieter spell of scoring for the Rapids, Windeatt clinically hooked a delivery through the offside off her back foot for four, in what seemed to be a pivotal moment for Ed Wilson’s side.
Another boundary followed in quick succession for the young Worcestershire batter, as victory looked more and more inevitable for the Rapids; however, the wonderful Windeatt fell the next delivery four runs short of her maiden 50 for the Club, chalking up a total of 46 (49).
At 117-4 with four overs remaining, Boycott and Liv Gough came together to see the Rapids over the line, in what was an all-round outstanding display from the homeside, who claimed the six-wicket victory in front of a jubilant New Road crowd.
Skipper Boycott led the way with the ball, finishing with 3-23. Windeatt’s stellar 46 topped the batting charts, closely followed by Davies on 41, as the Rapids’ hopes of Blast qualification live on.
