Magnanimous Wright praises Worcestershire after Blast final heatbreak

A disappointed Luke Wright insisted that the Rapids be praised for their performance in the five-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks at Edgbaston

^{Luke Wright with Sussex coach Jason Gillespie}

Luke Wright paid tribute to Worcestershire Rapids after his Sussex Sharks side were beaten in the final of the T20 Blast.

Worcestershire chased down their 158-run target with nine balls to spare to claim their maiden Blast title at Edgbaston on Saturday, with Ben Cox and Moeen Ali playing starring roles with the bat.

A disappointed Wright was magnanimous in defeat, however, and insisted the Rapids be praised for their performance.

“You have to give credit to Worcester, they bowled brilliantly,” he said.

“I felt they executed their skills brilliantly. Another 15 or 20 runs might have done the job.

“If we had to lose to anyone I think Worcester is the best choice.”

Sussex and Wright managed 157 for six from their 20 overs, with Laurie Evans making a half-century, but it proved not to be enough.

^{Wright in action on Finals Day}

“I thought we were a few under par,” said Wright. “I thought they bowled brilliantly the whole way through, we just got stuck at the back end.

“They need 30 or 40 off the last bit and I thought we might have just brought it back but we couldn’t just get over the line.”

Still, Wright would not be too downbeat about the Sharks’ campaign as a whole.

“The boys have been outstanding the whole way through,” he said. You’re trying to bowl the perfect yorker and the odd one slips out.

“People like Salty (Phil Salt) and Delray Rawlins have stood up and had some amazing performances for us.

“We have no overseas player, we have chosen to back our own and I couldn’t be more proud about the way we’ve gone about it

“As a whole I think we’ve done ourselves justice.”