Notts Preview: Rapids look to bounce back in the blast

Vitality T20 Blast: Nottinghamshire Outlaws v Worcestershire Rapids 

Venue: Trent Bridge

Date: Saturday 7th June

Scheduled start time: 7pm

Worcestershire Rapids head to Nottingham on Saturday evening looking to get their T20 Blast campaign back on track after suffering a first Vitality Blast home defeat of the season to Northants Steelbacks, on Friday night at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

Currently sat fifth in the North Group, picking up one win from the opening three matches, the trip to Trent Bridge offers the Rapids a chance to get back to winning ways against the Outlaws.

Northants’ Ben Sanderson stole the show as he returned figures of 6-8 in a simply outstanding bowling display as Northants Steelbacks hurried to a 31-run win over Worcestershire Rapids in the Vitality Blast North Group.

With Northants setting the home side 191 to win, it was Fateh Singh (1-16) who returned the best figures amongst the hosts bowlers.

In reply, the Rapids struggled got a foothold in the game, with five batters making scores over 20, but regular wickets hampering their pursuit of a competitive score as nobody could quite kick-on.

Sanderson’s exceptional evening was capped off with a hat-trick as the Rapids fell to a first home defeat of the season.

Singh looks forward to “Special” return to Trent Bridge

Worcestershire spinner Fateh Singh, is looking forward to a return to his former ground on Saturday evening, as his Rapids’ side face off against a dangerous Nottinghamshire Outlaws side.

Singh, started his professional career at Nottingham, back in 2021, but spent the back end of of his three-year tenure on loan at other counties, including Worcestershire and Northamptonshire.

The left-arm spinner, looks back fondly on his time with the Outlaws however, and is relishing the chance to help his team get back on track.

“A big one tomorrow. It will be very nice going back there. It’s only 10 minutes from my doorstep, which is pretty good. It’s an amazing ground and a lot of my mates are there, they’re pretty good, it will be pretty special to be back there.”

After falling short away at Lancashire in the opening game, the Rapids got their campaign up and running with a comprehensive 60-run win over Yorkshire on Sunday.

Despite losing to the Steelbacks by 31-runs last time out, an evening where the Rapids will feel as though they were a couple partnerships short of mounting a serious run-chase, before Ben Sanderson blew away the Worcestershire tail with a clinical hat-trick.

Singh, one of the shining lights throughout the Rapids’ campaign so far, says the quick turnaround is a good thing for his side as they look to avenge the defeat.

“100% it’s positive. When you look at games like the weekend when you’ve got two games, I think you’d rather play day after day, because it keeps the ball rolling.

“If you do lose, you can just get it out your head straight away, and then you go again, rather than having a day in between where you might be travelling and whatnot. I think I’d rather play the next day.”

His spinning counterpart, Tom Hinley, is aware of the fast paced nature of the tournament, where momentum is key to any side’s chances of progressing deep into the latter stages.

he says the team have shown how close they are to putting together the complete performance required to win games in the competition, exemplified in the win over Yorkshire in their second match.

“I think we’re not far off.

“It’s just cleaning it up a little bit and just keeping that positive turn throughout that and bowling Fielding and just being real clear with what we’re trying to do and just always trying to take a hop forward step, almost. 

“I like to take that positive option out of the situation, really.”

Last season: Ninth in the group

Previous best: Winners (2017 and 2020)

One to watch: Moises Henriques

After finishing rock-bottom of the North Group last season, the Outlaws must find a way to improve this time out, with a much changed squad.

For the first time in 17 seasons, the Outlaws began a campaign without Alex Hales, who played his part in the previous two title successes back in 2017 and 2020 – with his void filled by Daniel Sams and Moises Henriques.

Aussie pro Henriques boasts an impressive Cricketing CV, having played over 300 T20 matches both domestically and internationally in a career that has spanned over two-decades, the Australian all-rounder is not short of experience.

Henriques wasted no time making his presence felt in the Notts dressing room, when in the second game of the tournament he plundered 60 off just 32 balls against Lancashire.

Captain, Joe Clarke, in the second year of his tenure, will be looking to the Aussie Veteran for inspiration in the hope they can guide their side to the knock-out stages of the tournament.