[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

vs Nottinghamshire

T20 Blast, Northern Group

Trent Bridge, Nottingham

My internet very considerately conked out at home yesterday, so I was unable to file a report as the game happened.  Worth the wait, though.

Worcs innings: Notts won the toss and put the Pears in to bat.  In a dream of a powerplay Joe Clarke continued his rapid evolution into a white-ball opener, scoring 60 off just twenty-seven balls before holing out to Steven Mullaney.  A short collapse followed, and it looked entirely possible that Worcestershire might stagger to an undignified halt, but a partnership between Ross Whiteley (that man again) and Mitchell Santner powered the Pears back into the box seats before Jack Shantry and Ed Barnard pulled on their six-hitting gloves to push the visitors up over 200 for the first time this season, finishing on 208-8 off the twenty.

Notts innings: You have to credit the Pears; even with a couple of hundred on the board, they did their best to piss it all away.  For half of the innings Alex Hales was looking unstoppable, and the home side were doing it at a canter.  It took a spell from Dolly to tempt the England opener into one too many big hits and give Worcestershire a hope; his fellow slow bowlers then piled the pressure on, stemming the flow of boundaries before big John Hastings came in at the death to take three big wickets and put it beyond Notts with half an over to spare.  A win, a win at last, and in the most unlikely of places.

Worcestershire WIN by thirteen runs

Star Performer: This nod has been a long time coming.  Early in the season it seemed only a matter of time for John Hastings, who was delivering with both bat and ball week in, week out.  Then the Champions Trophy seemed to throw things out of kilter, and it's been a long six weeks or so getting whacked all over the park, but in this one he roared right back into form.  More of the same and there may yet be a prayer for the Pears.

Next Match: On Thursday night Worcestershire continue their world tour of the East Midlands with a trip to champions Northants.