[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

One-Day Cup, Group A

vs Hampshire

New Road, Worcester

Hants innings: Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat on a proper August Sunday scorcher. If they hoped it'd do them any favours on the used wicket from Wednesday's match, Tommy Sturgess disabused them in his second over by having Joe Weatherley caught behind for 10 attempting a cut, and in the final over of the powerplay Hishaam Khan got Fletcha Middleton to hole out for 23 on the pull. From there it degenerated into a collapse as Jack Home entered the attack and showcased his continuing knack for bulldozing a middle order, first removing Nick Gubbins with one banged in off a length which the Hants skipper ducked his head away from, while leaving his bat in up-periscope position to take a nick off the spine straight into the keeper's gloves for 14; then having Ben Brown caught behind for a silver duck two balls later with one on off-stump that seamed away. One from Tom Hinley and a brace apiece for Fateh Singh and Ethan Brookes polished off the tail, and Hampshire - twice tormentors of Worcestershire in white-ball cricket last summer - were all out for a tame 164.

Worcs innings: Pure fun in the sun for the Pears, with Ed Pollock making a fast and fluid half-century before being caught at backward point for 67, and Gareth Roderick falling just short of his own fifty on 47. At 121-2 it was already a foregone conclusion, and Jake Libby and Rob Jones had no difficulty seeing the hosts over the line.

Worcestershire WIN by eight wickets

The Verdict: After a disappointing defeat at Somerset on Friday this was the ideal tonic. Now second-placed in the table, a win or even a tie/abandonment at rock-bottom Lancashire on Wednesday will be enough to see us progress. Should we come the inevitable cropper, and assuming either Durham or Derbyshire will win their head to head, we'd be sweating on Hampshire's showing at Middlesex and the 0.5 swing in net run-rate they'd need to leapfrog us. Probably better to put the calculator down and just enjoy this magnificent month of calypso cricket while it lasts.