WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids were skittled for just 91 runs by Northamptonshire Steelbacks after making a winning start to their T20 Blast campaign against Leicestershire Foxes.
The Rapids could only manage 91 all out at New Road after Northants blasted 191 from their 20 overs as the visitors claimed a 100-run victory.
That came after Worcestershire secured an 18-run win against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
The Rapids posted 188-9 from their 20 overs and restricted the Foxes to 170-4 in reply in a mixed start to the club’s T20 Blast campaign.
Worcestershire looked well-placed against Northants after a spree of wickets left the away side on 114-5 in the 12th over.
However, opener Ricardo Vasconcelos (34) and captain David Willey (46) piled on early runs with Northants just shy over the 100-run mark at the halfway stage.
A string of wickets saw Northants slip from 97-2 to 114-5 as Adam Finch (3-36) accounted for Louis Kimber (14) and Saif Zaib (0) in consecutive balls.
However, Calvin Harrison (30) scored late runs to boost Northants’ total despite the best efforts of Matthew Waite (3-42).
The Rapids struggled with the bat in reply as opener Isaac Mohammed (1) fell at the end of the second over.
Only Kashif Ali (38), Sikandar Raza (18) and Brett D’Oliveira (13) managed double figures for the Rapids.
Wickets tumbled throughout the innings with Worcestershire in trouble on 34-4 in the seventh over.
The Rapids failed to recover from the early setbacks and lost their final five wickets for the addition of just 11 runs with the hosts all out for 91.
Harrison (4-17) did the damage with the ball while James Sales (3-28) and Ben Sanderson (2-8) also struck.
Worcestershire fared better in their opening game of the competition against Leicestershire.
With the Rapids put into bat, opener Mohammed (42) scored quick runs in a 26-ball innings.
And further runs from Ali (28), Raza (25), Adam Hose (19) and Ethan Brookes (18) saw Worcestershire fall a few boundaries short of the 200-run mark.
The Rapids took early wickets in Leicestershire’s reply as Finch (2-32) removed Sol Budinger (16) and also Rishi Patel (3) in the same over.
That came after Tom Taylor (1-23) bowled Foxes opener Stephen Eskinazi (9) with the home side on 32-3 in the sixth over.
Usama Mir (1-30) then accounted for Ashton Turner (22) to halt Leicestershire’s progress.
Despite half-centuries from Nick Kelly (61 not out) and Ben Cox (51 not out), the Foxes could not score runs at a quick enough rate as the Rapids took an 18-run victory.
Worcestershire continue their T20 Blast campaign against rivals Warwickshire on Friday, May 29 with play to begin at 5.30pm at New Road.
