Worcestershire were yesterday involved in a T20 game which produced more than 200 runs per side and a century-maker in BOTH innings for only the second time.
Joe Clarke's superb 124 not out off 53 balls upstaged even veteran Paul Collingwood's maiden T20 ton as the Rapids triumphed by eight wickets at New Road in chasing down a 202 target set by Durham Jets.
The only other time the County participated in a game of similar statistics was on June 29, 2007 in a fixture switched to Chester Road, Kidderminster because New Road had been flooded.
Worcestershire took on Northamptonshire and, after electing to bat, amassed 227-6 in their 20 overs.
Club legend Graeme Hick, in what was to be his penultimate season with Worcestershire, was the century-maker.
He went in first and hit 110 off 49 balls with eight sixes and 10 fours and shared in an opening stand of 175 with skipper Vikram Solanki (58 off 41 balls).
But Worcestershire were given a real fright by Northants who provided their own ton-up player in Lance Klusener.
He also opened the batting and ended with an unbeaten 111 off 59 balls with six sixes and 10 fours.
David Sales contributed 52 but Worcestershire held on and restricted their opponents to 222-3 with Australian paceman Doug Bollinger – 1-35 in four overs – returning their most economical figures.
Because of a second flood, Worcestershire were not to return to New Road that summer and remarkably won the Pro40 League by playing every match away from their headquarters.
But that is a different story which the Worcestershire CCC website will be reflecting on in the coming weeks.
The Worcestershire side on that day at Kidderminster – so admirably emulated by Clarke and Co yesterday – was:
Solanki
Hick
Moeen Ali
Smith
Sillence
Batty
Kabir Ali
Davies
Price
Bollinger
Malik
