Worcestershire Women’s Rapids embark on their final round of Vitality T20 Division One fixtures this Sunday, knowing that they will almost certainly need to win both matches to ensure survival at the top level for another season.
Defeats against Kent and Yorkshire at Kidderminster last Sunday have left the Rapids next to bottom of the table, with only Yorkshire below them.
Sundaysees fixtures against title-chasing Sussex (1.30 pm) and mid-table Nottinghamshire (4.30 pm) at Welbeck Cricket Club, near Mansfield.
VITALITY WOMEN’S T20 COUNTY CUP – DIVISION ONE
P W L Pts NRR
Middlesex 6 5 1 20 0.41
Sussex 6 4 2 16 1.09
Warwickshire 6 4 2 16 0.87
Kent 6 4 2 16 0.86
Lancashire 6 3 3 12 -0.13
Nottinghamshire 6 3 3 12 -0.23
Surrey 6 2 4 8 -0.98
RAPIDS 6 1 5 4 -0.94
Yorkshire 6 1 5 4 -0.99
With two teams to be relegated, and with Yorkshire and Surrey meeting elsewhere on the final day of the season, one victory is unlikely to be enough to guarantee safety, and even two wins will leave the Rapids relying on results elsewhere going their way.
Rapids batsman Clare Boycott says the team have to focus on their own games.
She said: “We’re still positive and confidence is high. We know we’re good enough to win matches and put in good performances at this level.
“There’s no doubt we need to perform to the best of our ability this weekend. We didn’t put enough runs on the board in either game last Sunday and we need to learn from that.
“We didn’t take enough responsibility with that bat. It’s something we’ve talked about and hopefully we can improve on our batting displays and score big this weekend.”
Boycott, whose consistent run-scoring has played a big part in the Rapids reaching the promotion play-offs this season in 50-over cricket, says the batsmen need to follow the bowlers’ lead.
She said: “Our bowling has been a strong factor so far. We’ve consistently made early breakthroughs and kept pressure on the opposition.
“We need it all to come together on Sunday – batting and bowling. If we can perform to the best of our ability through both games then we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
