Sunday’s agonising last-ball defeat against Gloucestershire will serve as an excellent motivator, according to Sikandar Raza, who starred with bat and ball once again for Worcestershire Rapids.
Recording figures of 1-19 with the ball, Raza helped the visitors restrict their opponents to 148-8 in an accomplished first innings display.
The all-rounder then led his side’s recovery with the bat, making a fine counter-attacking 47 from just 31 balls to drag his side back into the contest from 28-4, playing his part in a crucial fifth wicket stand with Adam Hose that was worth 59.
His dismissal in the 14th over handed Gloucestershire a route back into the match, one the home side took with open arms as the game reached a grandstand finish, with tail enders Adam Finch and Tom Taylor needing eight runs off the final over to seal a nail-biting victory.
Falling two runs short of their target, Raza highlighted the lack of substantial partnerships as a deciding factor in the match’s eventual outcome.
“From our point of view, that is a game that hurts.
“We felt they were below par, 160/170 looked like par, and the way they started it looked like they would get there, but the way the boys pulled it back was so impressive.
“We only conceded maybe two boundaries in the last five overs, and cricket is a big momentum game, which I felt we had at halfway, but we just weren’t able to utilise it in the powerplay.
“I think the guys that got set, which includes myself to start with, probably cost us this game for the team.
“There was maybe only one partnership between Adam and me, maybe between Rodders and me further down, but there wasn’t enough around that.
“We thought with eight to win off the last, a set batter at the crease, we were probably favourites, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.”
Despite coming into the match high on confidence after Friday night’s impressive win over Glamorgan at New Road, there is no time for the Rapids to dwell on the last over loss, as a trip to table toppers Northants Steelbacks awaits Worcestershire on Tuesday evening.
With the race for a spot in the top two automatic qualification places hotting up ahead of the Blast break period next weekend, the Rapids are all too aware of the threat posed by the Central and West group pace setters, having been on the receiving end of a 100-run defeat to the Steelbacks earlier on in the competition.
Set to face off against his former employers, Raza was quick to frame Tuesday as an opportunity for his team to test themselves against the best and grab the chance to underline their own ambitions as genuine tournament competitors.
“The onus is now on us to put up a good performance against Northants on Tuesday.
“We spoke about our ambitions in the tournament, that we wanted to qualify and we want to win the championship, so it doesn’t really matter which team you play if that is the case.
“This game will hurt us, but we have to put it behind us quickly.
“If we want to test ourselves, then these are the sorts of games that tell you exactly where you stand or how far you are from the top teams.
“As an individual, I tend to look out for these games because they are a great reflection of where we stand.
“The boys are professional enough and confident enough to brush this aside and walk into another great challenge on Tuesday.”
