Ed Pollock and Brett D’Oliveira warmed up for the Vitality Blast with a six-hitting barrage as Worcestershire Seconds overcame Somerset by ten wickets in a SET20 match at New Road.
The opening pair struck ten sixes between them before boarding the Worcestershire Rapids team coach for Wednesday’s opening Blast encounter with Yorkshire Vikings at Headingley.
They enabled Worcestershire to reach a 133 target in just 11 overs in a match reduced because of rain to 17 overs per side.
Pollock set the tone by swivelling to strike the first ball of the innings from Ned Leonard for the first of his six maximums in addition to three fours.
Leonard bore the brunt of the assault from the left-hander who hit him for three sixes in a row – two from pulls and one straight back down the ground.
Pollock ended unbeaten on 70 from 35 balls, and Club Captain D’Oliveira was equally effective with his ball-striking.
He had switched to the opener’s role with big success in last season’s Blast and hit 59 not out off 31 balls with four sixes and five fours.
Somerset had earlier been restricted to 132-8 after being put in to bat by Rapids vice-captain Ben Cox.
Charlie Morris quickly put the Rapids in control with a wicket in each of his first two overs.
Greg Willows (0) aimed a blow over mid-wicket and inside-edged a catch to Cox, and then Ben Chapman-Lilley (1) popped up a catch on the off side after Morris had switched ends.
James Hildreth made a breezy 24 before he was caught behind off Adam Finch, and then spinner Josh Baker, who shared the new ball with Morris, made a double breakthrough.
Former Worcestershire Academy player Xavi Clarke (8) was bowled attempting a sweep, and Max Tryfonos (15) aimed a blow down the ground and only picked out Jack Haynes.
Mitchell Stanley got amongst the wickets by bowling George Barlow (4), and Leonard (8) made room to try and hit Finch through the offside and only nicked through to Cox.
Will Smale top-scored with 47 off 32 before falling to the returning Morris as Cox picked up a fourth catch.
Morris ended with figures of 4-0-48-3, Baker 4-0-27-2, Finch 3-0-19-2 and Stanley 3-0-13-1.
