Worcestershire Rapids fell short in their bid to secure a Vitality T20 Blast quarter final place after suffering a 78-run defeat to Somerset at Taunton, bringing an end to their 2026 campaign.
A second-half fightback with the ball kept the Rapids in the contest, with Matthew Waite (3-39) returning the best figures as the Worcestershire took momentum at the halfway stage having restricted Somerset to a score under 200.
Set 195 to win, the Rapids were reigned in after a fast start, with the loss of wickets at crucial times proving fatal in the chase, as Skipper Gareth Roderick top scored with 39 for the visitors who were eventually bowled out for 116 by the reigning champions.
The Rapids now turn their attentions to the start of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, with preparations for the List A title defence getting underway next Tuesday against Herefordshire.
It was a straight shootout between Worcestershire Rapids and Somerset on Sunday evening, as the Central and West group concluded with a fixture between the two sides still in the hunt for a quarter-final place.
Skipper Gareth Roderick won the toss on a scorching summer’s evening and inserted the defending champions to bat first, confirming that Beyers Swanepoel and Adam Finch had come into the side in place of Dan Lategan and Fateh Singh.
The visitors were put under pressure in the opening exchanges as powerful opening duo Will Smeed and Thomas Rew propelled Somerset past fifty in the fifth over.
Tom Taylor, Ben Allison and Beyers Swanepoel were all rotated through a challenging powerplay for the Rapids, who were given no second chances by the opening pair who were in ruthless touch.
Lady luck then intervened when Matthew Waite dismissed the high-flying Thomas Rew in unconventional circumstances, with Somerset’s batter getting into a tangle from a short ball that hit his gloves, elbow and body before trickling onto the stumps, handing the away side a crucial breakthrough.
The delight doubled just two overs later when strike bowler Usama Mir struck with his first ball of the match, getting one to grip and spin as he pinned the dangerous Tom Kohler-Cadmore LBW for six.
Momentum was wrestled back by Mir, with the influential spinner reeling the hosts in as Smeed raced past fifty at the halfway stage, but Taylor returned and made it 117-3 when Isaac Mohammed took a low catch at extra cover as the opener mistimed a cover drive.
Worcestershire hit back, conceding just 31 runs from overs 12-16, with the mid-innings squeeze paying off once again when the Rapids’ leading wicket-taker Mir claimed the scalp of Lewis Goldsworthy courtesy of a safe catch by Swanepoel at deep midwicket.
Mir bowled out, completing his spell with impressive figures of 2-28, taking his tournament wicket tally to 20, before Allison rallied after a tough opening to castle Lewis Gregory for 28 with a spearing yorker as the Rapids continued their excellent fightback.
A superb 19th over from Waite (3-39) saw the all-rounder claim the wickets of both James Rew and Daniel Sams as Roderick’s side looked to finish with a flourish, restricting the hosts to 194-7 at the completion of the first innings.
Looking to make a positive start youngsters Isaac Mohammed and Henry Cullen set off in fine fettle, rocketing along at 10 an over playing in fearless fashion and putting pressure back on the Somerset bowlers.
Two wickets in successive overs reigned the visitors back in however, with the Rapids seeing their progress checked at 37-2.
Cullen’s enterprising cameo was ended after 14 balls when Daniel Sams took an incredible catch in the deep when the right-hander top-edged a hook shot, shortly before Isaac followed suit when he too was caught at mid-off.
Gareth Roderick and Brett D’Oliveira came together and took their side past fifty before the conclusion of the powerplay that had seen Worcestershire’s progress stunted.
D’Oliveira’s attempt to reignite the chase backfired when he miscued a charge down the ground from the first ball of Jack Leach’s spell, with the visitors now up against it as Somerset piled the pressure on.
Another sucker punch landed in the tenth over when Kashif Ali (six) gloved a pull shot behind that was safely pouched by Thomas Rew, with the Rapids now needing to go at more than 10-an-over after reaching the halfway stage 87-4.
Beyers Swanepoel was sent in at number six tasked to up the ante, but when the left-hander was bowled by Jack Leach just seven balls into his innings, the visitors’ hopes were fading fast.
The home side flexed their muscles, with the pressure telling on Worcestershire’s skipper, who was bowled by left-arm spinner Leach for a valiant 39 from 28 balls in what was a terminal moment for the visitors.
Tom Taylor held out to Will Smeed at deep midwicket for two in his efforts to produce a last-ditch fightback, but Matthew Waite (11) was run-out moments before Usama Mir was caught at mid-on as Worcestershire slipped away.
Adam Finch was the last man out as the Rapids were bundled out for 116, ending a tournament that held so much promise up until the final day in disappointing fashion.
With the Blast quarter finalists now confirmed, Worcestershire will enjoy a nine day rest period before turning attentions to the start of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, with a Minor County Showcase against Herefordshire next up for Alan Richardson’s side.
