[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

vs Nottinghamshire

One-Day Cup, Northern Group

New Road, Worcester

The road to Lord's begins a little earlier than usual, on an overcast April day in Worcester.  Though the Pears were quarter-finalists in last year's competition, progressing from the group stage will be a tougher ask this year with only the top three teams from North and South qualifying for the tournament's later stages.  There are eight matches to be played in four weeks, and it's likely that the Pears will need to win over half of them; it will be a big statement of intent if they can get the ball rolling by snatching victory today against Notts.

Notts innings: Pears won the toss and put Notts in to bat.  After a steady start, England opener Alex Hales was trapped LBW by Joe Leach before a brief stoppage for rain.  On resuming play, the dangerous Wessels holed out to Ross Whiteley off a ball from Ed Barnard, and Patel was similarly dismissed with a Jack Shantry catch after a tempting delivery from Moeen Ali.  However, Notts continued to score at a decent lick even as the wickets tumbled, with Michael Lumb putting on a crucial century before he finally edged a Leach ball behind into the gloves of Ben Cox.  The East Midlanders finished their innings on 273-6, which could well prove a winning score on a ground with a slow outfield, taking into account the formidable seam attack that Notts possess.  Worcestershire will perhaps rue the lengthy struggle to dismiss Lumb, in addition to leaking a few too many boundaries from sloppy balls, but if the Pears batsmen can make a solid start and keep the scoreboard ticking over without too many risky shots, then they can still make a tight game of this.

Worcs innings: The rain hit New Road during the break and stayed for a full two hours.  Play was resumed at 5.15pm with Worcestershire chasing an amended total of 168 runs off 22 overs; effectively a bit of T20 batting practice.  In what proved to be a nailbiting run-chase played in gloomy conditions with dark clouds pushing in and the hand of Messrs Duckworth and Lewis hanging heavy over Worcestershire heads, Moeen Ali and Tom Kohler-Cadmore got things off to a handy start with a few boundaries before each got overexcited and lofted up easy catches to the boundary, gone for 14 and 13 respectively.  In came Dolly and Joe Clarke to steady the ship, the latter in particular having a great knock with a rocket of a slog-sweep for six, plus two audacious ramp-shots for four in the utterly abysmal light and a couple of boundaries hit down the ground for good measure, taking him to 40 off 26 balls.  When those two wickets fell in quick succession it seemed that things had swung Notts' way, but Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley had other ideas. Pinch-hitter Whiteley illustrated precisely why he remains Worcestershire's secret weapon in white-ball cricket with a fine array of sixes and fours in quick succession to banish the spectre of Duckworth-Lewis and take the required rate to less than a run a ball; and though Cox lost his wicket somewhat cheaply at the death, captain Joe Leach kept a cooler head and managed to see things over the line with two full overs to spare.  Another cracking win for the Pears under pressure, continuing the winning streak to start this season.  Let's keep that ball rolling, lads.

Worcestershire WIN by five wickets (D/L)

Star Performer: In many ways it could (and perhaps should) be Joe Clarke, whose deft and skilful batting in dire conditions emphasised his promise as a young England hopeful. But while Clarkie provided a springboard for the win, it was unquestionably Ross Whiteley who quite literally knocked it out of the park with 41 off just 19 balls, including four fours and two sixes.  It may not be sophisticated and it's certainly not graceful, but Whiteley on song is an absolute wrecking ball of a batsman.

Next Match: The One-Day Cup continues on Sunday with the Pears visiting Grace Road to try and continue the winning streak against Leicestershire.