Steelbacks beaten again in the Blast as Rapids claim victory

Kashif Ali struck a commanding 88 off just 46 balls, his highest T20 score, to help steer the Rapids to victory and keep their qualification hopes alive.

Kashif was in total control, smashing seven fours and six sixes during a third-wicket stand of 127 with Gareth Roderick (36) – the highest for Worcestershire against any opposition in T20 cricket, beating the previous best accumulated by Brett D'Oliveira and Adam Hose against Yorkshire at Worcester just last month.

Ben Sanderson (2-24) removed both set batters in the 15th over, but by then Worcestershire were closing in on victory and sent Northants, who had made 152 for nine after losing the toss and being put into bat, to their fourth straight defeat.

Earlier, Adam Finch ran through the Steelbacks' middle order, claiming three for 28, including two wickets in two balls, as the hosts tried to kick on after a lacklustre start.

It came after Tom Taylor snared two for 22 on his return to his old club as the Steelbacks lost three wickets for 11 in 15 balls in the powerplay, finishing the first six overs on just 34 for three.

The Steelbacks had Sanderson to thank for posting a near competitive total, his 27 off 16 balls helping to propel them to 152 for nine.

In the home side's powerplay, while Ricardo Vasconcelos scooped Khurram Shahzad for six, he failed to middle an attempted pull against Ben Dwarshuis, and instead top-edged, keeper Gareth Roderick having plenty of time to judge the catch.

Taylor struck twice in the next over, his third, as first Robinson top-edged Taylor to mid-on as he went to turn one to leg, before the bowler hooped one back in to send Ravi Bopara’s off-stump flying.

With Dwarshuis conceding just two off his next over, the Steelbacks were well behind the pace.

Steelbacks skipper David Willey (13) powered consecutive boundaries through extra cover off Khurram to bring up Northants' 50, but his fightback ended next ball when he chopped onto his stumps, giving Pakistan international Khurram (2-40) his first wicket in Worcestershire colours.

Justin Broad (19) played his shots, but he became the fifth wicket when he reached for a wide ball from Fateh Singh and dragged it onto his stumps.

Finch then struck twice in the 15th over, accounting for Lewis McManus and Saif Zaib in the space of four balls.

First, McManus was undone by a full ball which clattered into the base of the stumps.

Zaib then sent one flying through extra cover, and he pulled Finch’s next delivery to deep backward square-leg, where Isaac Mohammed held a stunning diving catch.

George Bartlett scooped Khurram for six, but he became Finch’s third victim when he hit straight to cover.

Sanderson pulled Dwarshuis for six before smashing 14 off the penultimate over bowled by Shahzad. First, he dispatched a free hit out of the ground, before inside edging for four and then dissecting two cover fielders. While he was bowled by Khurram’s final delivery, a George Scrimshaw boundary saw the Steelbacks pass 150.

In the chase, Willey (2-22) struck twice in his opening overs, Mohammed who hit straight to mid-off, while Brett D'Oliveira was bowled stepping away.

Kashif played positively from the get-go, garnering a handsome straight drive off Willey and a straight six off Sanderson. He targeted Broad, hitting consecutive boundaries before pulling over midwicket as the Rapids ended the powerplay on 44 for two.

Roderick, who started slowly, enjoyed Scrimshaw’s extra pace, a brace of boundaries bringing up Worcestershire 50 off 26 balls, before Kashif hit Scrimshaw for a massive six over deep midwicket.

A similar shot in the pacer’s next over brought Kashif six more before he ran two to reach his half-century off 24 balls.

Roderick finished the over by crunching another maximum, Scrimshaw conceding 31 off his first two overs.

The runs kept coming for Kashif despite a blow on the foot by a perfect yorker from Willey. He attacked the spin of Lloyd Pope too, coming down the wicket to smoke him over deep midwicket.

Sanderson then broke the partnership, Kashif falling to a well-judged catch in the deep by Broad, while Roderick spooned a catch around the corner.

But some lusty blows from Ethan Brookes helped seal the win.