Worcestershire Women’s Rapids captain Chloe Hill was left visibly disappointed after her side’s early exit from the T20 Cup, falling to defeat in the opening round following a lacklustre batting display.
Having been bowled out for just 96, the Rapids struggled to assert themselves with the bat on a tricky surface, ultimately succumbing to a 5-wicket defeat.
“Yeah, obviously very gutted with that performance,” Hill admitted. “To be out in the first round, especially when 20-over cricket has been such a strong format for us in previous seasons, it’s really disappointing.”
Hill was frank in her assessment of the Rapids’ shortcomings, citing poor execution and decision-making as key factors in the batting collapse. “Ultimately, not enough runs on the board. Poor executions and wrong decisions, I guess, from us collectively,” she reflected. “I think it’s just all about being a bit more disciplined and a bit more mature.”
Conditions didn’t help the Rapids’ cause, with Hill pointing to an unpredictable surface and early wickets as significant hurdles. “The pitch didn’t play how we expected, it had uneven bounce, and when you’re three down in the powerplay, it puts you under pressure straight away.”
Despite the defeat, Hill was keen to acknowledge the fight shown by her bowlers in defending such a modest total. “Our bowlers did bowl really well. Jess Beach was exceptional, just bowling full and straight, with great control, and Phoebe Brett also bowled nicely. But we’ve got to be more disciplined in the field and with the ball for longer periods.”
While the margin of defeat offered few positives, Hill reserved praise for Beach’s bowling performance as a small silver lining. “She executed her plans perfectly and got the ball moving. But really, in a loss like that, it’s tough to single out individuals, we just weren’t good enough as a team.”
