Sunday, July 31st, 2016

Cox, Leach And D’oliveira Return For Crucial Royal London Tie

Cox, Leach And D’oliveira Return For Crucial Royal London Tie

Worcestershire Rapids have welcomed back a quartet of players for today's Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Lancashire Lightning at New Road.

Vice-captain Joe Leach, keeper Ben Cox and all-rounder Brett D'Oliveira were rested for the two-day tour match with Pakistan which ended yesterday.

South African paceman Kyle Abbott is also included after recovering from a foot problem.

The Rapids will be looking to bounce back from successive defeats in the competition against Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

Worcestershire need to win their final two One-Day Cup matches to have a realistic chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

They visit Nottinghamshire on Monday for a day-night game and then on Wednesday begin a four-day Specsavers County Championship match against Kent at Canterbury.

Assistant coach Matt Mason said: "We have got to win them both. It's been a bit like that with white ball cricket this year. We've started well and faded a bit so it's two massive games.

"We know we can do it and it's like a final for us so great experience for our lads to go into a game with that sort of pressure.

"Hopefully we can do the business on Sunday and then that means Monday will be a really exciting contest."

Lancashire opted to bat after winning the toss on a wicket which was used for the NatWest T20 Blast clash with Birmingham Bears.

Rapids:

Mitchell

Kohler-Cadmore

Fell

Clarke

D'Oliveira

Whiteley

Cox

Leach

Rhodes

Barnard

Abbott