Worcestershire Rapids v Yorkshire Vikings
Vitality Blast, North Group
Wednesday June 16 2021, 5.30pm
New Road
Toss: Worcestershire won it and elected to field.
Teams: Worcestershire – Wessels, D’Oliveira, Moeen c, Whiteley, Libby, Cox w, Barnard, Dwarshuis, Sodhi, Morris, Pennington.
Yorkshire – Lyth, Bairstow w, Malan, Kohler-Cadmore, Brook, Fraine, Willey c, Fisher, Rashid, Bess, Ferguson.
Match summary: Yorkshire won for the third time in four Blast games this season, riding on Jonny Bairstow’s stunning 112 off 51 balls as he underpinned a total of 216-6. In reply, Worcester were bowled out for 122 to lose by 94 runs as Adil Rashid claimed three wickets and Dom Bess, Matthew Fisher and David Willey finished with two apiece. The hosts lost their last seven wickets for 12 runs as their unbeaten start to the competition was ended in comprehensive fashion.
Report: Jonny Bairstow was a central figure in Yorkshire’s third win in four North Group games, smashing seven fours and 10 sixes in a blistering display of power hitting at the top of the order.
Unfortunately, he had to bat for the second half of his innings with a runner after sustaining a right ankle injury whilst running between the wickets.
The Vikings were in trouble early at 10-2, but he and Tom Kohler-Cadmore shared a record-breaking 146 for the third wicket inside 12 overs.
Bairstow reached his hundred off 48 balls, one ball slower than Ian Harvey’s record 47-ball century against Derbyshire in 2005.
Kohler-Cadmore posted his first fifty of the season in all cricket – 53 off 33 balls – and later took the wicketkeeping gloves from Bairstow, who hit the county’s seventh Blast century. He has two of those.
David Willey struck early, but the Vikings dropped Riki Wessels and Moeen Ali in the power play as the Rapids reached 45-1 after six overs of their chase.
Adil Rashid later got Moeen caught at backward point off a slice for 39 – 68-2 in the ninth over – and from there it was realistically game up for the hosts.
Rashid removed Wessels shortly afterwards, caught behind off a top edge for 32, and later Worcester lost their last wickets for 12 runs as they slipped from 110-3 in the 13th over.
Matthew Fisher and Dom Bess both struck twice in an over in impressive individual displays.
Rashid finished with an excellent 3-32 from four overs and Bess 2-30.
Seamers Fisher and Willey also had nights to remember. Willey claimed his 50th Blast wicket for Yorkshire, while Fisher was arguably the best bowler on display with 2-15 from three overs.
Worcester’s innings included a record five ducks.
Magic moment: Jonny Bairstow hit two sixes in as many balls off Dillon Pennington in the 13th over. The latter moved him to 69 and cleared the stands at the New Road End of the ground. The locals reckon it would have even cleared the New Road carriageway outside the ground and gone into the adjacent Cripplegate Park. It was absolutely huge.
Turning point: Jonny Bairstow was on five off 10 balls and opted for a change of bat. It brought a change of fortunes. From then on, he almost middled everything on a fresh pitch.
Stat: Jonny Bairstow and Tom Kohler-Cadmore shared Yorkshire’s second highest partnership in Blast history, falling just short of the 150 Adam Lyth and David Willey put on at Northampton in 2018.
Injury scare: Jonny Bairstow sustained a suspected right ankle injury whilst completing a single to move to 56 off 33 balls. He yelped in agony and needed treatment from physio Ku Bansil and then Adam Lyth as a runner. He still batted like a dream, doubling his total from then on in 18 balls. Bairstow didn’t keep wicket, instead handing the gloves over to Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who did a fine job.
Backing it up: Since the start of 2018, Yorkshire have played T20s on successive nights on nine occasions. This is the third time they have won both games. They have lost both twice.
What they said: Coach Andrew Gale – “The most pleasing thing tonight is to get back-to-back wins. It’s always hard backing it up the day after.
“Entertaining game last night, big crowd, the lads are on a high and probably don’t sleep and they’re on a coach down to Worcester this morning. But our attitude tonight was right at it against a good side. It was a near perfect performance.
“Some of Jonny’s striking was the best I’ve seen in T20 cricket. After he got to 50, it felt like he was batting in a benefit game at times.
“It’s disappointing he’s found an injury, but wow what an innings!
“It’s early days for Jonny. We’ll get him scanned tomorrow. I don’t think he will be available Friday, that’s for sure.
“Hopefully it won’t be a ligament tear and just a rolled ankle. I feel for him because it’s a big summer coming up with England in white ball cricket.
“I’m pleased for Tom (Kohler-Cadmore) because he’s had a tough summer and things haven’t gone to plan for him.
“He’s got a great record opening the batting, and he’s had to move down the order. Last night was tough on him because we sent a few lads in ahead of him. But he’s responded in the right manner.
“The pitch wasn’t as true as Jonny made it look. The lads said it was a bit two paced.
“It was important to get off to a good start in this comp given the players we’ve had available.
“We’ll have a few players missing on Friday night, but the players coming in are coming into a winning team.
“Adil (Rashid) won’t be available to us. Both parties have agreed to rest him ahead of his international series. Jonny, obviously, isn’t going to be available now.
“I’ll have a chat to Dawid (Malan). He’s been carrying a sore Achilles for a few weeks. We’ll see how that is tomorrow. Dave (Willey) will play.
“Joe (Root) will be available to us on Sunday. We hope he’s around for three or four games.”
What’s next: Yorkshire return to home turf on Friday evening to face Durham at Emerald Headingley (6.30pm). They are looking for revenge following last Friday’s defeat at the Riverside when the Vikings fell short of chasing 182.