Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, weather forecast, form, prediction and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the Vitality Blast...
Fixture: Worcestershire Rapids v Durham
Venue: New Road, Worcester
Date: Friday, June 25, 2021
Start time: 5.30pm
What’s the lowdown?
Worcestershire are currently in a dismal run of form, suffering defeats in three of their past four matches and losing one to the weather.
In their most recent outing, Dillon Pennington ripped through Yorkshire's top-order, taking four wickets to leave the home side floundering on 15 for 4. However, Rapids to take their foot off the gas and allowed Jordan Thompson and Harry Brook to drag Yorkshire to 191 for 5, an ultimately unreachable total.
Durham, meanwhile, have their tails between their legs after becoming the first side to lose a T20 match to Northants Steelbacks in 2021. Having lost just once heading into the fixture, Durham were the favourites but had no answer for the explosive batting of Ricardo Vasconcelos and Adam Rossington, and slipped to an unlikely nine-wicket defeat.
Who’s in form?
As previously mentioned, Pennington wreaked havoc on Yorkshire's top-order, finishing with figures of 4 for 24. The 22-year-old now has five wickets in 10 overs - a total bettered by only Chris Morris (seven) and Ben Dwarshuis (six).
With the bat, Rikki Wessels and captain Ben Cox impressed against Yorkshire. Wessels scored 77 from 45 deliveries, taking him to a team-leading 173 runs for the season and improving his strike rate to 137.3. Cox, meanwhile, scored more runs against Yorkshire (61) than he managed in his previous five innings combined. A promising sign.
For Durham, David Bedingham and Graham Clark have a combined 324 runs and both have strike rates in excess of 154. They didn't fire against Northants but given their stats in 2021, we'll call that match a blip. Instead, Sean Dickson stepped up, scoring an unbeaten 51 from 37 balls to record maiden half-century.
With the ball, Matty Potts also had an uncharacteristically poor game against Northants, conceding 30 runs from 2.5 overs, but with a team-leading nine wickets, he's a star you can expect to shine. Ben Raine and Liam Trevaskis have also impressed, while it shouldn't be too long before Ben Stokes in firing on all cylinders.
What’s the team news?
Worcestershire Rapids: Ben Cox faces a late fitness test after suffering a blow on the foot during the defeat to Yorkshire. Alex Milton is on stand-by to replace the skipper and keeper-batter if he falls short.
Worcestershire Rapids squad: Riki Wessels, Brett D'Oliveira, Tom Fell, Jake Libby, Ben Cox, Ross Whiteley, Ed Barnard, Ben Dwarshuis, Ish Sodhi, Dillon Pennington, Charlie Morris, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Finch, Alex Milton
Durham: The visitors have named a 13-strong squad for the clashes with Worcestershire and Birmingham Bears on successive days.
Academy players Harry Crawshaw is included in the group for the first time. Ally Evans remains following his loan move but Kyle Coetzer has joined up with Scotland.
Durham squad: Cameron Bancroft (c), David Bedingham, Scott Borthwick, Brydon Carse, Graham Clark, Harry Crawshaw, Sean Dickson, Ned Eckersley, Ally Evans, Matthew Potts, Ben Raine, Ben Stokes, Liam Trevaskis
Lastest Worcestershire Rapids news
Last five T20 results (most recent first)
Worcestershire Rapids: LLALW
Durham: LWAWL
Head-to-head T20 record
Total matches: 15
Worcestershire Rapids wins: 8
Durham wins: 5
Tied: 0
No result: 2
Abandoned: 2
What’s the weather forecast?
Rain threatens to hit New Road in the later afternoon and mid-evening. There will be a window for play, but that will depend on the damage done to the outfield. A reduced game is most likely.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Worcester: Click here
Going to the game?
Tickets
No tickets are on public sale for this fixture, with the club conducting a ballot of members.
Travel
Address: Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester, WR2 4QQ
By car
From the north: From the M5 junction 7 follow the cricket stumps on the roadsigns to the ground.
From the south: From M5 junction 7 follow the cricket stumps on the road signs to the ground.
From the east: From the A422, Alcester, continue on this road to the roundabout junction with the A4440 (Swinesherd Way), take second exit at roundabout on to A44, continue to follow the A44 and it will lead you to New Road, the ground will be on your left.
From the west: From the A44, Evesham, stay on the A44 (east) and it will lead you to New Road, the ground will be on your left.
By bus
Once you are in Worcester city centre’s bus station that is beneath the Crown Gate Shopping Centre, walk out of the station, turn left, continue to walk straight ahead to a pedestrian crossing, walk across this and another pedestrian crossing, continue across the bridge over the Severn River and you will arrive at the ground on your left.
By train
Worcester Foregate Street is the closest train station to the ground and is approximately half a mile from the ground. To get to the ground from Foregate Street station turn left out of the main entrance, head towards the cross where you turn right onto Broad Street. Continue straight, across two pedestrian crossings to get to the other side of New Road, walk over the bridge and you will shortly arrive at the ground on your left.
How do I follow the match
Worcestershire will offer live coverage of the match via their YouTube channel: Click here.
All T20 Blast matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here. The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Sky Sports will show this game live on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404 on Sky).
Radio: All Vitality Blast fixtures will be available on BBC Local Radio stations with extensive coverage also on 5 Live Sports Extra.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and updates from every Vitality Blast match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Prediction?
Two sides desperate for a win but for different reasons. Worcestershire need to end a poor run of form; Durham have a point to prove after their Northants defeat. Durham win.
OTHER T20 BLAST FIXTURES: FRIDAY, JUNE 25
North Group
Northants Steelbacks v Lancashire Lightning
Derbyshire Falcons v Notts Outlaws
Leicestershire Foxes v Yorkshire Vikings
South Group
Sussex Sharks v Gloucestershire
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