Azhar Ali anchors Worcestershire to second straight win
Worcestershire 200 for six (Azhar 78, Carlson 4-48) beat Glamorgan 199 (Kellaway 82, D’Oliveira 3-37) by 4 wickets
Worcestershire Rapids made it two wins out of two within the Metro Bank One-Day Cup as their spinners and Pakistan batter Azhar Ali performed key roles within the win over Glamorgan at New Road.
Josh Baker and Brett D’Oliveira shared 5 wickets as Glamorgan had been bowled out in 40.2 overs in entrance of a 3,500 crowd regardless of a superb knock of 82 on his List A debut by 19-year-old Ben Kellaway.
Azhar, who received the competitors in 2019 when a part of the Somerset facet, then made an completed 78 to see Rapids, regardless of a late flurry of dismissals, to a four-wicket victory with 8.3 overs to spare.
Worcestershire are wanting filled with confidence after their run to the quarter-finals within the Vitality Blast and back-to-back wins to gas their LV=Insurance County Championship promotion problem. And with solely three call-ups to the Hundred, they’re wanting like a facet who might mount a considerable problem within the 50-over competitors.
Kellaway’s earlier first-team expertise was confined to 2 Vitality Blast appearances this summer time however the rookie skilled confirmed his promise. He no less than gave Glamorgan a complete to defend after Baker and D’Oliveira once more bowled impressively after sharing six wickets within the opening win over Durham.
Baker is slowly however absolutely regaining his type and rhythm after a prolonged lay-off with a again drawback. D’Oliveira is usually reluctant to bowl himself when within the captaincy position however has performed a full and efficient half with the ball underneath One-Day skipper Jake Libby.
Libby put Glamorgan into bat and opener Tom Bevan survived two lbw shouts within the opening over from Joe Leach. Bevan and Ed Byrom offered a helpful platform in accumulating 36 runs from the opening seven overs however then the sport swung Worcestershire’s approach.
Bevan drove loosely at Ben Gibbon and was taken by Azhar at first slip after which Colin Ingram had the misfortune to be run out on the non-striker’s finish after Gibbon deflected a straight drive from Byrom onto the stumps.
Dillon Pennington bowled a probing spell and was rewarded with a double breakthrough as he continued the shape proven within the final two Championship video games which yielded 14 wickets.
Byrom tried to shoulder arms however solely inside-edged a supply onto the stumps and his subsequent over accounted for Billy Root who was caught behind of a ball which nipped away.
Kellaway had one early slice of fine fortune when edging Pennington simply extensive of second slip however in any other case seemed composed and reeled off a sequence of high quality strokes in including 65 in 12 overs with captain Kiran Carlson.
But the introduction of Baker and D’Oliveira caused a decline in Glamorgan’s fortunes because the final six wickets fell for 62 runs in 14.1 overs. Carlson tried to hit D’Oliveira excessive however solely discovered Kashif Ali at long-on after which Alex Horton turned D’Oliveira to midwicket and ventured a number of paces out of his crease however didn’t beat Libby’s throw to keeper Ben Cox.
Kellaway accomplished a 48-ball half-century with seven boundaries however wickets fell at common intervals on the different finish. Andy Gorvin performed again to D’Oliveira and was bowled and Harry Podmore reduce Baker into the arms of Matthew Waite at backward level. Jamie McIlroy pushed ahead to Baker and was additionally bowled earlier than Kellaway’s high quality knock introduced and finish to the innings when he lofted D’Oliveira to long-on.
D’Oliveira was caught behind off an inside edge after making an attempt to drive Podmore however then Azhar and new signing Rob Jones featured within the decisive stand of precisely 100 in 20 overs. Jones, on mortgage from Lancashire earlier than starting a three-year deal subsequent summer time, and Azhar suffered few alarms.
Azhar hit Ben Morris for a six over long-off after which leg-glanced the following ball for 4 to finish the century stand. It got here out of the blue when Jones went down the wicket to Carlson and fell to a splendid catch by Bevan at long-on.
Azhar’s high quality innings ended when he was stumped down the leg facet off a large from Carlson, having struck two sixes and 4 fours in his 104 ball knock. Kashif and Ben Cox seemed as in the event that they wished to finish proceedings in double fast time however each perished to Carlson, at lengthy on and lengthy off respectively, whereas Waite sliced Gorvin to quick third.
“Coming to the realisation that my career is drawing to a close, the overriding emotion is one of gratitude,” Salter stated in an announcement. “Thank you to the fans for creating some unforgettable atmospheres, none more so than the One-Day Cup final in Trent Bridge. I will cherish that moment forever.”