Usama Mir’s all-around excellence and Adam Hose’s fifty plus provide Worcestershire’s winning combo
In their Vitality Blast match against the Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Worcestershire Rapids defeated them by a score of 15 runs thanks to Adam Hose’s strong hitting and Usama Mir’s outstanding all-around performance.
Hose continued where he left off in the short format, scoring 61 from 40 balls, including two sixes and six fours. Hose, who was Warwickshire’s third-highest run-scorer in the Blast last season before joining Worcestershire in an effort to revive his red-ball career, continued where he left off in the short format. Jack Haynes, Ed Pollock, and Mir all made significant contributions as Worcestershire reached 196 for 9.
The Pakistani leg-spinner Mir, who took 3 for 21 in his four overs, stopped the Steelbacks’ innings in its tracks despite their strong start. As Northamptonshire lost five wickets for 26 runs in the span of five overs after reaching 90 for one to finish on 181 for eight, Brett D’Oliveira provided solid support with 3 for 28.
Michael Bracewell, the Worcestershire opener, got off to a strong start by hitting a stunning six over mid-wicket from Tom Taylor before being caught at deep square leg on the following pitch. D’Oliveira hit consecutive fours against David Willey but failed in his attempt to flick Taylor to fine leg and was dismissed for 11.
By the end of the powerplay, the Rapids were 57 for 2, having scored 32 runs off the fifth and sixth overs, after Hose struck Graeme White’s opening ball for six.
At the halfway point of their innings, Rapids were 82 for 3 as Haynes made 27 off 17 balls before being caught by Rob Keogh at long-on.
On 43, Hose drove to mid-off, where Willey couldn’t hold on, saving him from a chance from James Sales. He then took 34 balls to reach fifty. He quickly reached 61 before skipping a high full delivery from White towards midwicket, where the spinner made good ground to snag the return.
Before Adam Finch and Mitchell Stanley were run out in the final over, Mir’s undefeated 20 from only seven balls included two sixes.
With a strong start to their response, Northamptonshire reached fifty within the first five overs. However, Mitchell Stanley managed to get rid of Chris Lynn, who Pat Brown successfully caught for 28 from 14 balls at deep backward square.
Ricardo Vasconcelos was bowled for 32 by Mir, who had just joined the attack, in the eighth over. Saif Zaib’s reverse sweep, which Kashif Ali caught at short fine leg, was taken out by him when he went to the pavilion end.
By having Keogh caught by Brown at deep midwicket, Mir added another wicket to his tally of three in three overs. D’Oliveira had Willey caught by Haynes for 36 off 24 balls prior to that. To complete a successful evening for the Worcestershire skipper and his squad, D’Oliveira also took the wickets of Lewis McManus and Sales.
