Saturday, September 21st, 2019

RAPIDS ONLY THIRD TEAM TO REACH FINAL THE YEAR AFTER WINNING T20

Worcestershire Rapids are only the third team to have reached the final of the Vitality Blast the year after winning the competition.

The Rapids triumphed over Sussex Sharks in the 2018 final and will now face either Essex Eagles in this evening’s final at Edgbaston.

They will be bidding to become the first side to achieve back to back Blast titles (6.45pm start).

Surrey were the first county to return to the final 12 months after lifting the coveted trophy.

They won the inaugural T20 competition in 2003 when they overpowered the then named Warwickshire (now Birmingham) Bears by nine wickets at Trent Bridge.

But a year later Surrey were on the receiving end of a seven-wicket defeat by Leicestershire Foxes at Trent Bridge.

Kent Spitfires lifted the trophy in 2007 thanks to a four-wicket success over Gloucestershire Gladiators at Edgbaston.

Twelve months later they came within a whisker of a repeat success when going down by three runs to Middlesex Crusaders at Southampton.