Match Details VS Lancashire Lightning
Vitality T20 Blast Match One: Lancashire Lightning v Worcestershire Rapids
Venue: Emirates Old Trafford
Date: Thursday 29th May
Scheduled start time: 6:30pm
Worcestershire begin their Vitality T20 Blast campaign on Thursday evening, looking to kickstart their campaign with a win as they face Lancashire Lightning.
After a tough start to the season in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship, spirits are high heading into the short-format curtain raiser at Emirates Old Trafford.
Last Time Out
A rain enforced finish at Visit Worcestershire New Road on Day Four saw Worcestershire salvage some priceless points in their bid for County Championship Division One survival.
After falling behind on Day Three, Worcestershire entered the final day knowing that they would need a batting miracle, faced with a mammoth 270 to win.
Things looked ominous midway through the day’s play when the hosts found themselves 87-6, as Warwickshire’s bowlers looked to be driving their side towards a comprehensive victory.
A stubborn fightback from Ethan Brookes (34) and Matthew Waite (44*), however gave the hosts a fighting chance, with Waite batting on until the players were brought off for rain midway through the afternoon and Worcestershire ended with 11 crucial points.
Inside The Camp
D’Oliveira ready to show “exciting cricket” as 2025 Blast Off nears
Worcestershire Rapids Captain Brett D’Oliveira, is eager to get the 2025 Vitality Blast underway, and relayed his enthusiasm to get to work with a new-look squad, as preparations for Thursday’s opening fixture against Lancashire, get underway.
After a testing start to the season, the transition to white-ball Cricket for D’Oliveira, and his side brings about a welcome opportunity to enhance a renewed optimism.
With new faces, new ideas and plenty of new opportunities, the 2025 T20 Blast has the potential to be a defining period in Worcestershire Rapid’s history.
The change of formats is something the long-standing Skipper can’t wait to embrace and is keen for his team to show their potential.
“It’s just a different type of challenge, isn’t it? I think you go from quite a technical game in terms of the red ball game, and then you come into to the Blast, where you play with a bit more freedom.
“And obviously it’s quite exciting cricket with a lot more boundaries and a lot more wickets happening. The shorter format always brings the excitement to the game.
“It’s quite a challenging thing, to be honest, going from that red ball format into a white ball format. To try and get the time period to be able to do that amongst the schedule can be challenging, but I think that the guys have managed that really well.”
Since making finals day in 2018, Worcestershire have struggled to find that form in the competition, including last season’s Blast campaign, which saw the Rapids exit in the group stage.
However, the new faces that have emerged from within the club, alongside the shrewd recruitment of bowlers Ben Dwarshuis and Jacob Duffy, makes for an exciting environment, in which D’Oliveira, is sure his team will only improve.
“I think last year we probably lacked a little bit of clarity. We had probably half the team in slightly different roles just because of the personnel, so going into this year, there is a bit more clarity.
“People should know their roles a little bit more, and that should reflect in our cricket, that’s quite exciting. We’ve added to the squad quite well as well. Two overseas bowlers is going to help – I am really looking forward to sharing their knowledge, both on the field and off it.
“Using the players like Jacob, the world number one T20 bowler, and Ben, who’s played cricket all around the world now is going to be really useful.”
Appointed as Club Captain in 2021, the all-rounder has become accustomed to leading his side across all formats, and the challenges that are posed.
The thought of leading his team into the high-pressured and fast-paced arena of T20 Cricket, with his squad fully prepared, is one that continues to excite the experienced campaigner.
“You do have to think on your feet a little bit more. You’re reacting in the sort of here and now, and not to what potentially could happen in the next session.
“Vice-Captain, Adam Hose – he’s played a lot of T20 cricket around the world, that’s really going to help me. But I think in the moment, it’s about staying nice and calm and staying nice and present. I think if you can sort of trust your gut on the feeling that you get on the field normally it helps.
“The practice changes slightly. We try and get a few more white ball hits in and a bit of white ball fielding. And then obviously bowlers are practising their skills that they use in that T20 format, such as Yorkers or slower balls.”
There is no easing into the Blast, and that is something the Rapids will be all too aware of, who entertain Yorkshire, this Sunday, after making the trip to Manchester on Thursday evening in the season opener.
Despite having to play their first fixture away from home, the focus of D’Oliveira, has certainly not drifted from the job at hand.
“The first game of the T20 blast is always exciting, especially at a ground like Old Trafford. It’s always a great ground to go to. The crowds are always pretty rowdy there, so that’s always exciting as well.
“We’ll be looking to get off the mark with a win, and fingers crossed we can do just that.
The Opposition
Last season: Quarter-finals
Previous best: Winners (2015)
One to watch: Chris Green
A side who have pedigree in this tournament, having reached finals day nine times previously, Lancashire have experienced a turbulent start to the year.
Much like Worcestershire, they too find themselves at the wrong end of the County Championship Table, equally keen to grasp new opportunities in the white-ball format.
One of the most potent sides in the competition on their day, the Lightning can call upon the likes of Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Saqib Mahmood and Liam Livingstone, to bolster their side when available.
This season, they have once again secured the services of Australian all-rounder Chris Green, after impressing as the side’s leading wicket-taker in the 2024 campaign.
Notching up an impressive 14 wickets last season, the spinner is key part of the Lightning’s armoury, who will be looking to repeat last year’s victory over the Rapids in a narrow two-wicket win.
With the old rivals lying in wait, it is time to see if the Rapids’ new faces can light up the 2025 Blast and set their side on the way to a memorable campaign.
Squad vs Lancashire Lightning
