Worcestershire Rapids have named an unchanged squad for this evening’s NatWest T20 Blast clash with Lancashire Lightning at New Road (5.30pm start).
Director Of Cricket Steve Rhodes is looking for the Rapids to fire on all cylinders against a side containing England T20 players Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone.
Buttler demonstrated his destructive power when scoring a half century in the Lightning’s win at New Road last summer after being set a near 200 target.
Livingstone made his full England debut in the two T20s against South Africa last month and then played at New Road for the England Lions against the tourists.
But Worcestershire can bost their own destructive fire-power with Ross Whiteley having been propelled into the top 10 of the most sixes per match ratio in the history of T20 cricket.
The Rapids will be seeking to chalk up their first T20 Blast win of 2017 and get their bid to reach the quarter-finals in the 14 game North Group up and running.
Rhodes, whose side lost a high-scoring affair against Derbyshire Falcons on Wednesday evening, said: “There are some good players at Lancashire as well. If you look at Livingstone and Buttler, there are some terrific T20 players there.
“We’ve got to make sure we are on the money and up for it and fire in all three departments.
“There was some good batting against Derbyshire but maybe again we weren’t quite as good with the ball as we could have been.”
*A reminder that the gates will open at 3PM today and additional car parking is available on the adjacent King’s School ground.
Rapids (from):
Mitchell
Clarke
D’Oliveira
Santner
Cox
Whiteley
Leach
Hastings
Rhodes
Barnard
Shantry
Hepburn
Brown
