Worcestershire Rapids kept their Vitality T20 Blast quarter-final hopes alive with a thrilling 12-run win over Derbyshire Falcons, in a match that went down to the final over.
The Rapid’s evening got off to the worst possible start after winning the toss as they were left floundering at 10-4, before Gareth Roderick’s continued his excellent recent form with a vital 71, that clawed his side out of trouble, accompanied by Ethan Brookes (43) and Ben Dwarshuis (33*) that helped propel Worcestershire to a competitive 174-6.
Tom Taylor and Ben Dwarshuis helped reduce Derbyshire to 29-3 early on, as the nip-and-tuck nature of the match then proceeded until the late stages of the innings.
A galvanised fielding effort and some exceptional death bowling from Dwarshuis (1-29) and Khurram Shahzad steered the Rapids home by 12-runs to win a thrilling contest and keep their quarter-final dreams alive.
After winning another toss and electing to bat first, Rapids skipper Brett D’Oliveira could not have foreseen the position his side would find themselves after the first 15-balls of the match.
The visitors got off to a horror-start, as they were reduced to 10-4 inside three-overs.
Isaac Mohammed was the first to be dismissed when he was caught on the boundary trying to clear the rope and was swiftly followed by D’Oliveira who was caught at slip trying to work a ball through the offside.
Kashif Ali was unable to repeat his fireworks from Sunday, as he departed without scoring, with Adam Hose following him the very next delivery after Zak Chappell nipped one back through the gate to end his double-wicket maiden.
On a used pitch that showed signs of wear before the start of play, Derbyshire’s spinners-maintained control of proceedings as the Rapids ended the powerplay 35-4.
Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes came together for the away side and made a swift start to proceedings, as they ran hard between the wickets and rotated the strike with efficiency, beginning to dig their side out of trouble.
Roderick batted with similar poise and calmness that was on display against Northants five-days earlier, showing some exquisite timing as he and Brookes took their side past fifty in the eighth-over, with Roderick making his way to 31.
Brookes was creative and powerful in equal measure, as he played expansive shots square of the wicket and down the ground, as Worcestershire made a recovery of sorts to 95-4 in the 13th over.
Brookes’ cameo was ended shortly after however, as he looked to sweep a full-length ball over midwicket but failed to connect and was bowled for an excellent 43 off 26.
Roderick continued his repost, as he notched his half-century in the 16th over, passing his career-best T20 score in the process, but only lasted two more overs before he was bowled, leaving the field for a superb 71 off 57 balls, hitting six-boundaries in his vital cameo.
After such a damaging start to the innings, the Rapids were about to enjoy their best period of the match so far, as their lower order pair came together in style to change the momentum of the innings.
Ben Dwarshuis and Tom Taylor came together in a frantic three-over blitz, as Dwarshuis slammed 33* off 18 and Taylor chipped in with a more than useful 14 not-out, as the Rapids finished the innings on a very competitive 174-6.
The Rapid’s defence started in perfect fashion, as Tom Taylor (2-33) had Aneurin Donald caught down the leg-side without scoring with his second ball of the match.
Taylor’s excellent form continued, as he bowled Harry Came for eight, before Ben Dwarshuis (1-29) struck with a searing full ball that castled Caleb Jewell to leave the home side 29-3 in the fourth-over.
A 53-run stand for Derbyshire’s fourth-wicket dragged the hosts back into the contest, before the impressive Adam Finch, broke the stand when a fast, short delivery was hit straight to Adam Hose by veteran Samit Patel, as the Rapids pegged the Falcons back to 62-4.
As the contest progressed through the middle overs, the tension began to build around the Co-op County Ground with the home side staying level with the required rate.
Fateh Singh bowled a superb spell for his side, as he has done on multiple occasions this season, picking up Derbyshire’s fifth-wicket in the 14th over, at 109-5.
Worcestershire entered the final four overs defending 40 to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, with Wayne Madsen 62 not-out and the key wicket for the visitors.
The 18th-over proved to be the crucial one however, as some superb work at long-on from Adam Hose saw him collect and throw in quick time to run-out Andersson, as Finch’s final over went for just six, capping off a superb night with the ball.
Needing 28 from the final two-overs, Dwarhuis and Khurram exhibited outstanding death bowling skills and superb nerve, nailing countless yorkers, to see their side home by 12-runs in a crucial and resilient win, that had at one stage seemed extremely unlikely.
