Worcestershire Rapids six-hitting hero Ben Cox believes the last gasp NatWest T20 Blast win over Lancashire Lightning was the perfect response to the two-day defeat by Warwickshire in the LV = County Championship.
Cox earned the Rapids their fourth win in six games – and sent them top of the North Group – by smashing the penultimate delivery from James Faulkner for a massive six over long on to earn his side a two wicket success at Emirates Old Trafford.
It showed the character of the side to bounce back from being bowled out for 80 in a session against the Bears on Monday and puts them in good stead for tonight's home T20 Blast clash with Derbyshire Falcons (5.30pm start).
Cox said: "What does the win mean after Monday? It has put us back on the right track. We were in a dark place on Monday.
"The best way to turn it around is to go out there and do stuff like that. It just puts us in good stead for the rest of the T20 Blast.
"We've got a bit of momentum now and it's good we've got another game so close (versus Derbyshire Falcons).
"We've moved on. We've got Middlesex on Sunday in the Championship, that's another fresh start. We also go into Sunday with fresh heads."
But Cox is aware of the need for the Rapids to put in the same sort of performance this evening against The Falcons.
He said: "We don't want to get too carried away. We know a good win against Lancashire doesn't necessarily mean anything really.
"Derbyshire are threatening. They haven't had a great T20 Blast but you can't under-estimate people and the players they've got.
"We've got to be careful and just make sure we take today's momentum forward. If we win against Derbyshire, we are in a good position for the rest of the games."
Cox admits he was confident of clearng the ropes as soon as he struck the delivery from Faulkner who came close to pulling the game out of the fire for the Lightning.
He said: "I don't really remember much to be honest. I had a feeling that he would bowl full, because he had hit me on the head a couple of balls before, and almost try and bluff me.
"I had a feeling it would be in my half and, if it was in the right spot, I had to make sure I hit the middle of the bat and swing as hard as I could.
"I think that is the cleanest I've struck a ball. I knew as soon as it hit the bat that it was six. As soon as I hit it, I had my arms in the air."
Cox added: "Did I think the match had got away at one time? If we are ultra critical, I think we left it too late. We were in a good position half-way through and we needed to kick on then.
"Brett (D'Oliveira) and myself managed to get hold of a few (boundaries) and today it went our way. Sometimes it doesn't always go for you but this time, it went in our favour."
TABLE
RAPIDS Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2, Tied 0, No Result 0, Pts 8, Run rate 0.096
Durham 8, 4, 4, 0, 0, 8 0.040
Warwicks 5, 4, 1, 0, 0, 8, -0.062
Leics 7, 3, 3, 0, 1, 7, 0.177
Notts 6, 3, 3, 0, 0, 6, 0.340
Lancs 6, 3, 3, 0, 0, 6, 0.286
Northants 6, 2, 3, 0, 1, 5, 0.022
Yorks 5, 2, 3, 0, 0, 4, -0.030
Derbys 7, 2, 5, 0, 0, 4, -0.680
