Worcestershire paceman Pat Brown has earned his first NatWest T20 Blast call-up for the Rapids home televised clash with Derbyshire Falcons tomorrow (5.30 start).
Brown, aged 18, is included in a 13 strong squad and, whether or not he plays, his involvement is another indication of the progress he has made this summer in Second Eleven cricket.
He was also named in the squad for the Specsavers County Championship match with Glamorgan at New Road last month.
The Peterborough born teenager is currently on a cricket scholarship at Worcester University.
Director Of Cricket Steve Rhodes said: "Pat has done fantastic. We are really pleased with Pat and the progress he is making.
"He has surprised me this year, the progress he has made, and he is showing people, not just me but the captain and other players, that he is well worth his involvement with us in the squad because he has been impressive for the second team.
"Pat has got a bit of pace and for a quick bowler, he is a reasonable fielder, quite athletic so he can get around the park.
"He has made giant strides to get into this squad during the last year or so from where he came from and it is a case of another developing Academy product which is really nice."
The Rapids have lost their opening two T20 Blast games but Rhodes is aware what is required if they are to qualify for the knockout stages.
He said:"It is a 14 game competition for qualification and that phrase of 'get your first win' seems like a little bit desperate – which we are certainly not.
"We know what we need to do to qualify and we certainly need to win games but we will be approach this game just like the other two, to go out there to win.
"The other two games, we haven't been quite at our best but there has been some good stuff. If we fire against Derbyshire, then we will be difficult to beat."
Rhodes has named the same 13 strong squad as against Leicestershire Foxes with the exception of Brown replacing Josh Tongue who is now on England Under-19 duty along with Adam Finch.
Rapids (from):
Mitchell
Clarke
D'Oliveira
Cox
Leach
Santner
Whiteley
Hastings
Barnard
Rhodes
Shantry
Brown
Hepburn
