Rapids still have winning formula

SNATCHING victory from the jaws of defeat will prove unforgettable for head coach Alex Gidman after Worcestershire pulled off the unlikeliest of comebacks to overcome Durham.

- Ross Lawson

SNATCHING victory from the jaws of defeat will prove unforgettable for head coach Alex Gidman after Worcestershire pulled off the unlikeliest of comebacks to overcome Durham.

The defending champions were staring down the barrel of a T20 Blast defeat at Chester-leStreet when Durham eased to 79-0 within 12 overs, in a modest chase of 118.

But Daryl Mitchell (2-17) and Ed Barnard’s (1-24) three wickets in six balls opened the door for Wayne Parnell, Dillon Pennington and Pat Brown to strangle the hosts in the death overs, closing on 114-6.

It’s a win that cannot be understated in the Rapids’ bid for the knockout stages – with Gidman hopeful it’s one they remember for a long time.

“It was a tough wicket and we did really well to hang in the game for as long as possible, which is a skill of ours, and then finished it off with some quality bowling at the very end,” he said.

“It was one of those games where it looked like it was out of our hands and then, from nowhere, we clutched a win, so an amazing result really.

“It was just a great win from nowhere. It was a tough wicket, they played really well and we won the crucial part of the game which was those last two or three overs.

“Credit to the lads for hanging in there and getting it to that point because it did look at one stage as if the game was going to be finished in 13-14 overs.