Worcestershire Rapids Match Preview - 27/6/21

The Running Foxes made it three consecutive wins on Friday (June 25) and will be looking to continue their winning run in the 2021 Vitality Blast, following five straight defeats at the beginning of the competition.

Arron Lilley top scored in the most recent victory over Yorkshire Vikings, with the Leicestershire man finishing on 99no from 55 balls, in a performance that saw him set a new career-best T20 score.

Callum Parkinson starred with the ball, taking four wickets in total, including three big wickets of Tattersall, Lyth and Root, to finish with season best figures of 4 for 35. Scott Steel has also found form with the ball in hand, claiming a further wicket to finish with figures of 1 for 21 from four.

Worcestershire Rapids most recently recorded an eight wicket victory at New Road against the travelling Durham Cricket, with Brett D’Oliveira (67, 49b) and Jake Libby (78no, 55b) starring with the bat. The eight Durham wickets were shared amongst the bowling attack with Charlie Morris showing his worth with figures of 3 for 37 from four.

Rapids sit just two points ahead of the Foxes in the North Group table ahead of the clash.

Last Time We Met

With the Vitality Blast moved to a three-group format last season, we didn’t meet Worcestershire in 2020 so we have to go back to 2019 to find our last meeting against the Rapids.

That day, the Running Foxes travelled to New Road and ended up defending 152 with ease, winning by 33 runs. Friday night’s hero, Arron Lilley, impressed with the bat for us, scoring a trademark quickfire 31(12b), with five fours and a six. Skipper Colin Ackermann (37, 30b), also made a vital contribution for us in a low-scoring match.

Ackermann then followed up his batting with a superb spell with the ball, conceding just 15 runs from his four overs with 10 dot balls and taking the vital wicket of the Worcestershire top scorer that day, Ben Cox. Also impressing with the ball was Gavin Griffiths (3-23), Will Davis (3-24) and Callum Parkinson (2-21) in a superb team bowling performance.

Head to Head

Callum Parkinson v Ish Sodhi

Foxes left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson has had another superb Blast campaign so far, passing 10 wickets for the season within the victory against Rapids and reaching at least 10 wickets in a season for the fifth consecutive year. For a 24 year old, that is an incredible achievement and Parkinson has now taken 62 wickets for the Club in T20 cricket.

This season so far, Callum has taken 11 wickets at an average of 22.18, and an economy rate of 7.62. His dot ball percentage of 35.9% is also extremely impressive for a spinner. 

New Zealander, Ish Sodhi, features as an overseas player for Rapids, and has taken four wickets at a cost of 55.25 so far in the competition, conceding 9.20 runs per over.

While those numbers this season aren’t particularly impressive, it’s worth noting that Sodhi comes with a high pedigree - he’s taken 73 T20 international wickets for New Zealand at an average of just 21.72, and an economy rate of 8.07, so the Running Foxes will need to be aware of Sodhi’s talents in advance of Sunday’s match.

Leicestershire Foxes Squad

Head Coach Paul Nixon keeps the same unit intact from the victory over Yorkshire Vikings at the Uptonsteel County Ground on Friday, June 25.

Leicestershire Foxes from 14: Colin Ackermann (C), Ed Barnes, Will Davis, Gavin Griffiths, Lewis Hill, Josh Inglis (wk), Louis Kimber, Arron Lilley, Ben Mike, Naveen, Rishi Patel, Callum Parkinson, Scott Steel, Harry Swindells (wk)