Foxes slip to defeat as Worcestershire chase down target
OPENING PAIR DO THE DAMAGE IN T20 BLAST
Leicestershire Foxes 156-7 lost to Worcestershire Rapids 157-3 by seven wickets
BRETT D’Oliveira and Riki Wessels powered Worcestershire Rapids to a seven wicket home victory over Leicestershire Foxes in the Vitality Blast as they climbed back into the top four of the North Group, writes John Curtis, of the ECB Reporters Network.
The opening pair put on 103 – a record for any wicket by Worcestershire against the Foxes in T20 cricket – as they chased down a 157 target with five balls to spare.
D’Oliveira achieved a career best score for the second successive game and it was the ideal way to celebrate his 100th T20 game for the Rapids. He eventually fell for 69 from 53 balls, with eight fours.
The Foxes were put into bat first and Josh Inglis and Scott Steel scored 34 from the opening four overs but then three wickets fell in nine balls. Scott Steel (13) edged a Dillon Pennington delivery which bounced on him through to keeper and captain Ben Cox.
Pennington also removed Inglis (21) with the fifth ball of the same over when he was bowled attempting an extravagant shot over midwicket.
It became 38-3 in the next over when Leicestershire captain Colin Ackermann (0) was also bowled after going for another big hit.
Pennington was allowed to complete his spell by the ninth over with excellent figures of 4-0-20-2 – including 2-7 from his last three overs.
The wickets continued to tumble after spinner Ish Sodhi came into the attack. Aaron Lilley (6) holed out to Riki Wessels at long on and then Daryl Mitchell struck as Rishi Patel (14) picked out Ross Whiteley at deep midwicket.
Louis Kimber survived a straightforward caught and bowled off Ed Barnard when on one.
It proved costly as Kimber and Hill put on 60 in 5.5 overs, the latter hitting three sixes in the space of four balls.
Dwarshuis returned to have Kimber (23) caught at deep midwicket by Whiteley. But Hill went on to complete a 28-ball half century with four sixes and two fours before he hit a Dwarshuis delivery straight to Daryl Mitchell at cover.
Dwarshuis, the leading wickettaker this winter for Big Bash League winners Sydney Sixers, again excelled with figures of 4-0-23-2
The Rapids reply was dominated by D’Oliveira and Wessels.
They negotiated an opening four overs of spin from Callum Parkinson and Ackermann and the entire powerplay without being parted in scoring 42 to lay the foundations for their side.
D’Oliveira, in particular, timed the ball sweetly and he completed his second successive half century in the competition off 40 balls, with six boundaries.
A straight six by Wessels off Gavin Griffiths brought up the century stand in 11.4 overs. The stand was worth 106 when Wessels, after making 46 from 34 overs, was caught at deep midwicket off Parkinson, who bowled his four overs for 20 runs.
Jake Libby (11) was caught off a top edge at third man against Naveen ul Haq and D’Oliveira’s excellent knock ended when he pulled Gavin Griffiths to deep midwicket.