On paper, this is a mismatch but, as we all know, cricket matches are never decided on paper and the game promises to be exciting at a ground renowned for being excellent for batting on
Worcestershire have been impressive but can they see off Gloucestershire to reach Finals Day?
Worcestershire Rapids take on Gloucestershire at New Road in the third T20 Blast quarter-final on Saturday.
Worcestershire were brilliant in the group stages as they topped the North Group while Gloucestershire came fourth in the South Group. On paper, this is a mismatch but, as we all know, cricket matches are never decided on paper and the game promises to be exciting at a ground renowned for being excellent for batting on.
Worcestershire will have Moeen Ali available to lead his side in the contest after the ECB released him from England duty for it.
The visitors look likely to name an unchanged squad from their defeat to Hampshire last time out in the competition.
Worcestershire come into the game in middling form having won and lost two of their last four fixtures, albeit coming off of the back of a resounding win over Birmingham last time out. The hosts began their campaign with four victories and are strong in all departments of the game.
Their opponents, Gloucestershire, were defeated by Hampshire in their final South Group game but had been on a good run of three wins out of four, the other abandoned, up until that point which signals that the visitors are hitting form at just the right time.
Pat Brown is the leading wicket-taker in the T20 Blast this year
The player of the campaign, and the player to look out for most with Worcestershire, is undoubtedly their 19-year-old medium pace bowler Pat Brown, the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 27 at an average of 13 and with a solid economy rate of 8.
Brown has come through the club’s academy system and has been an instant revelation, well complimented by Ed Barnard and Wayne Parnell in the bowling line-up. Brown has particularly excelled in the Powerplay where they have the lowest strike rate of any team in the competition thus far.
Michael Klinger is Gloucestershire’s obvious threat with the bat. With 407 runs and three fifties at 37, the Australian is a key cog in the visitor’s batting, providing superb consistency in his contributions.
Joe Clarke v AJ Tye
Joe Clarke continues to knock on England’s door through his performances in all formats for Worcestershire. In the Blast this year he has amassed a team-high 345 runs and he is a vital part of the host’s strong top order line-up.
AJ Tye, the 15th best T20 player in the world according to the Player Performance Index will have his work cut out containing and getting through the opposing batting order but if anyone can do it then he can. Especially at the death Tye has been superb with his variations and his 12 wickets have come at crucial moments.
Moeen Ali v Ian Cockbain
Moeen, who is 67th in the Player Performance Index, may have just smashed a double hundred in the championship for his side but his canny off-spin is also a wonderful weapon at Worcestershire’s disposal in the T20 format and he may be crucial in nullifying some of Gloucestershire’s other star batsmen.
Ian Cockbain, who has scored 327 runs in the competition including a supreme maiden T20 century of 123 off 61 balls against Middlesex, has been a great foil for Klinger in the side’s batting line-up and he has formed part of a potent middle order that has hit the second highest death overs run rate this season.
Patrick Brown v Michael Klinger
Worcestershire’s star youngster is likely to continue to have his way in the tournament, with Brown’s 27 wickets a huge reason for his side’s success so far. He will need to be on the top of his game to deal with the threat that Klinger possesses, the constant T20 run machine having the ability to take the game away from the hosts. The batsman’s 407 runs put him 14th in the batting charts and highlight his explosive ability.
Moeen Ali, fresh off a superb County Championship performance, and Michael Klinger are two of the star players on either side
Worcestershire’s Pat Brown has stated: “It is a great opportunity for us to get to finals day, which we haven’t done before, and all of the lads are really driven to do that so hopefully we can put on a good show, show what we can do, and get through.
“We don’t play Gloucestershire very often in T20. We will show them plenty of respect. Any team that finishes in the top four is a good team.”
Tickets are still available from https://www.hogeweb1002.co.uk/event_listing.aspx - Adults £30, Under 18s £10
Moeen Ali, and his form, is a big boost for the hosts while, in Joe Clarke and Callum Ferguson, they have plenty of batting elsewhere too. Brown, Barnard and Parnell is an extremely solid seam attack as well and this will likely make things tough for a Gloucestershire side that need Klinger to fire. While AJ Tye is superb at the death for Gloucestershire, Worcestershire should have a bit too much for them in the end.
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