A DLS defeat at the hands of Middlesex on the final day of the season ended Worcestershire Rapids Women’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One Day Cup last weekend, with the Rapids unable to snatch a last-minute place in the top four.
Having missed out on qualification in the Vitality T20 Blast in similar fashion, Head Coach Ed Wilson took some time to reflect on what has been a topsy turvy season for the girls plying their trade in Tier 2.
Wilson, said the sixth placed finish in the Metro Bank One Day Cup Women’s League Two paints a pretty even picture, given the inconsistencies the side faced during the 50-over campaign.
“We played pretty well for the most part against Middlesex, they bowled really well and made it hard for us and we had to dig in. We should have won one or two more games, just losing some key moments or not being as consistent as we would like has probably cost us.
“The biggest thing for me is the difference between our best and worst moments was too big, we need to close that gap and find a way to stay competitive when we are not at our best.
“Ultimately all the teams below us we beat and all the teams above us we lost too so I’d say the league table is a fair reflection.”
Coming up against some fierce bowling attacks, the Rapids’ mid-season batting struggles meant scoring imposing targets and chasing sizeable scores proved the biggest hindrance to the squad in their search for consistency across formats.
Wilson said the below par scores prevented his side from being as competitive as possible in both formats.
“In the Blast we took too long to get going and didn’t bat well enough. You need to score upwards of 150 in T20’s in tier 2 to be competitive really, we only did that once all season.
“In the One Day Cup we were inconsistent and had some key moments in games which we couldn’t capitalise on. Not grasping those moments meant we lost those games.
2025 has been a memorable year for the squad, however, with the Rapids playing a maiden T20 double-header at home back in June, with players going on to represent clubs in the Hundred and others pick up short-term pro-deals with Tier 1 outfits.
Despite bringing it’s own availability and selection challenges at times, Wilson, says preparing girls for the top level of women’s cricket is always the top priority.
“It’s our job in tier 2 to set girls up for professional cricket. You obviously want your strongest side out as much as possible but we would never stand in the way of a higher opportunity for them.
“The challenge for us now is to make sure we have the depth in the squad to manage losing players through the season, whether we lose them to pro deals or injuries we don’t want to see a big drop off in performance.
“We also need to make sure we keep finding cricket for the wider squad, whether that’s a tier 3 loan or us arranging more friendlies during gaps in the schedule just so we aren’t calling on players that haven’t played much cricket when we need them.”
Across the season, the likes of Clare Boycott, Flora Bertwsitle and Gwen Davies have all stood up to the task when the going has got tough for the Rapids, showing all of their experience when needed most.
In Bryony Gillgrass, the Rapids have unearthed a crown jewel of an all-rounder, who continued to exhibit her skills across all three departments on a regular basis, earning herself an England age-grade call-up late in the summer.
Each and every contribution was significant according to Wilson however, who reflected with great admiration for each of his key assets.
“Jess Beach had a good season with the ball and worked extremely hard on her game, Gwen Davies also showed her class and got better as the season went on. Her and Clare at the top of the order managed two 100+ partnerships opening the batting in the one day comp, their experience at the top of the order is invaluable.
“Clare was terrific, so consistent and as a captain she just leads by ‘doing’ and showing the way.
“She goes about her business quietly but commands respect from the group through her consistency really.
“Bryony is super talented and had a lot going on this summer, with Warwickshire academy, super 4’s and England U19 stuff and the way she’s dealt with that has been fantastic. She’s a real match winner on her day with bat and ball.
“Flora had a consistent season, she missed a bit of cricket with a knee injury at the back end of the Blast but came back well in the one day comp.”
