Friday, July 4th, 2014

Bumpy Admits Rapids “owe Them One” Ahead Of Lancashire Top Two Meeting

Bumpy Admits Rapids “owe Them One” Ahead Of Lancashire Top Two Meeting

Worcestershire Rapids Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes is hoping it will be third time lucky weather-wise for today's (Sunday's) NatWest T20 Blast home top two clash with Lancashire Lightning and admitted: "We owe them one."

The Rapids suffered a second successive home wash-out when Friday's encounter with Yorkshire Vikings was abandoned without a ball being bowled shortly after 7pm after heavy bursts of rain.

Now the focus is on the North Group showdown with the Rapids top of the table rivals who won the high-scoring Old Trafford meeting between the sides by 12 runs in May.

Rhodes said: "I hope for the supporters turning up they don't think 'I've had enough of this' because it is very disappointing that we've not been able to get any cricket.

"We can't do anything about the weather. The rain has hit us hard for the last two Fridays.

"Let's just keep our fingers crossed that Sunday will be a bright day or we get through a game of cricket.

"We owe them one. They beat us up at Old Trafford and they are obviously a strong side, like us at the top of the table, and it will be a really tough game.

"Our guys are pretty hungry but also we haven't played a T20 game now for a little while. Hopefully they will fire on the day."

When asked if not playing any T20 cricket for a fortnight was a concern, Rhodes said: "It could be and I'll tell you at the end of Sunday's match!

"Matt Mason (assistant coach) just pointed that very fact out, that he hopes we don't lose momentum by not playing these two Fridays, and I agree with him.

"But again we can't do anything about it, we've just got to put up with what we've got and hopefully get things right on Sunday."

Andrew Flintoff was in the Lancashire squad for Friday's clash with Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston and could be in contention to play today.

Rhodes said: "If that happens, then great, we'll look forward to that. I don't know how much cricket he has played but that will be great for our crowd, to see a former England captain and one of the best all-rounders England has had.

"Good luck to him. It will be an interesting game. I played a lot against Freddie myself. He was an effervescent character, a huge heart of a person, a massive striker of the ball and bowls with pace.

"We will see how things go now he's had a bit of a break from the game. I'm sure he will be fit. It's whether he has still got the skills. I'm sure he will have.

"This guy has done a lot of amazing things since he retired. If you think of what he has done in some of the TV shows he has done, coming back and playing cricket should be one of the easy ones shouldn't it?"