Worcestershire Rapids qualified for the Metro Bank One Day Cup final after blowing Somerset away with a comprehensive 131-run DLS win at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
The home side’s total of 275-9 was underpinned by Dan Lategan’s superb 78, with commendable cameos from Brett D’Oliveira (45) and Henry Cullen (32) keeping the Rapids in the contest having been shackled by Somerset’s bowlers during the middle overs.
A stunning four wicket burst from Khurram Shahzad helped reduce the visitors to 55-4, before Ben Allison and Matthew Waite followed up with three more wickets between them to tear apart the Somerset chase.
After a brief rain delay, the players returned with Ethan Brookes taking the three wickets needed for victory, as Worcestershire secured a 131-run win and booked a place in a first List A final since 2004.
The buzz of semi-final cricket was palpable around Visit Worcestershire New Road on Sunday morning, as Worcestershire welcomed Somerset, with the hosts vying for a place in the Metro Bank One Day Cup final next month.
Two wins away from a first piece of silverware since 2018’s historic Blast win, Jake Libby lost the toss and was invited to bat first by visiting captain James Rew, as he confirmed three changes to his side from Tuesday’s win over Surrey, as Ben Allison, Ethan Brookes and Matthew Waite all returned to the playing XI.
Under gloomy skies and battling a blustery wind blowing across the ground, Brett D’Oliveira started with intent, rousing the home crowd as he slammed a drive through extra-cover with the first ball of the match.
Much talked about teenager Dan Lategan continued his excellent start to life as a professional cricketer, as he and D’Oliveira combined to take the first-wicket stand past 50 in the ninth over the day.
Five short of a half-century, it was D’Oliveira who was the first wicket of the day to fall, as he looked to drive the ball through cover and was well caught close in with his side 85-1.
Shortly after the Rapids passed 100, Lategan brought up a second consecutive List A half-century from just 53 balls in another eye-catching cameo, before Kashif Ali’s innings came to a swift end when he was caught out for six, bringing Skipper Jake Libby to the middle.
Libby was given a momentary reprieve when he was dropped on 17 by Ben Green, but was dismissed the very next ball as Worcestershire’s fast start was stalled by the away side, who reduced the Rapids to 140-3.
Lategan’s fine individual innings went on, exhibiting his exceptional eye for length as he plundered the ball through extra cover, until the 33rd over when the opener miscued a reverse sweep off a full-length Jack Leach delivery to be trapped LBW for a superb 78.
Rob Jones (5) and Ethan Brookes (24) chipped in but failed to kick on as the Rapids slipped to196-6 and were on the back foot heading into the final 10 overs.
The 200 came up in the 42nd over, as Henry Cullen and Matthew Waite looked to launch a late counter-attack, with Cullen adding valuable late impetus with his creative cameo of 32 and Waite adding some lusty late blows as Worcestershire ended their innings 275-9, taking some crucial late momentum into the field.
The Rapids’ pursuit of early wickets was not made to wait long, as Pakistan international Khurram Shahzad produced a sensational spell of opening bowling, taking four wickets as Somerset collapsed to 55-4.
Khurram kickstarted the procession as he hurried Tom Lammonby with a back of a length delivery that was chipped to Matthew Waite in the fifth over of the reply.
Whilst Tom Taylor continued to beat the bat with some probing lines from the Diglis End, Khurram struck with his second as Ethan Brookes took a steepling high catch in the swirling wind to remove Goldsworthy for 10, before a majestic piece of fielding from Ben Allison at midwicket saw Khurram take the scalp of Archie Vaughan.
Teenage sensation Thomas Rew was Khurram’s fourth victim of a quite incredible opening spell when the right-hander was drawn into a probe outside off-stump that he could merely feather through to Rob Jones at slip who took a safe catch to see the back of the 17-year-old without scoring.
With Visit Worcestershire New Road in buoyant mood, spirits were further lifted when Waite joined the attack and took a scarcely believable fifth wicket for the home side, when Josh Thomas mistimed a shot into the legside and could only find the onrushing Lategan who steadied himself and held his balance to take a composed catch in the deep.
Somehow, Worcestershire fans may have been sent even further into delirium than they already were with the score reading 67-5, when James Rew was dropped at slip by Jones after Allison had produced a peach of a delivery.
The seamer didn’t have to wait long however for his reward however, as Jones made no mistake at the second time of asking when he held onto a thick edge from the bat of Fin Hill.
Somerset’s pair of James Rew and Ben Green steered their side past 100, but as the skies darkened and the rain began to fall, Green miscued an arial drive straight to Tom Taylor at mid-off, and with the visitors 113-runs behind the DLS par score, the players were led from the field with the rain intensifying and Worcestershire firmly in control.
At 6:10pm the players returned to the field, with Somerset’s required rate creeping up past 12-an-over and under gloomy skies, Ethan Brookes snagged the wicket of Kasey Aldridge with Henry Cullen taking a fantastic reaction catch stood-up behind the stumps as the Rapids tightened their grip on a place at Trent Bridge.
Brookes claimed the late wicket of Jack Leach, before sealing a trip to the final with the dismissal of James Rew, sparking scenes of jubilation amongst players and fans alike as Worcestershire wrapped up a 131-run victory and secured the club a first List A final in over two decades.
