Worcestershire Rapids tackle Hampshire on Saturday within the ultimate of the Metro Financial institution One Day Cup, in what is ready to be one other fascinating finale to England’s seemingly forgotten format.
The Trent Bridge showpiece occasion will cap off an enthralling week of motion, showcasing county cricket at its highest, following Somerset’s triumph at T20 Blast Finals Day and Nottinghamshire’s probably title-defining victory at Surrey in an all-time Championship basic.
The One Day Cup has as soon as once more served up an intriguing conflict, with Worcestershire in a Checklist A ultimate for the primary time since 2004, while Hampshire – no strangers to the large stage in white ball cricket – wish to avenge their slender defeat to Leicestershire at this stage two years in the past.
Either side head to Nottingham on the again of a troublesome week, as Worcestershire’s relegation from Division One was confirmed and Hampshire, who nonetheless have main relegation fears of their very own, have been unable to defend a record-equalling rating of 194 within the T20 Blast ultimate at Edgbaston final Saturday.
For unique tales and all of the detailed cricket news you want, subscribe to The Cricket Paper web site, digital version, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
Highway to the ultimate
For the Rapids, of their first ultimate because the 2019 T20 Blast, they completed high of Group A with six wins and one tie from their eight video games, earlier than dispatching Somerset in model at a boisterous New Highway within the semi-final.
As for Hampshire, their runners-up end in Group A – having misplaced to Worcestershire when the perimeters met – meant they needed to come by an extra knockout match in opposition to Middlesex through which they forwent house benefit on account of a scheduling battle with the Hundred, earlier than getting the higher of Yorkshire in a DLS-affected semi-final conflict at Scarborough.
With rain forecast for a lot of Saturday within the East Midlands, a reserve day on Sunday is obtainable, as was the case with the ultimate 12 months in the past when Glamorgan defeated Somerset in what ultimately turned a T20 contest.
Regardless of the climate, the stage is ready, and we check out the important thing head-to-head battles that would determine the One Day Cup ultimate.
The skilled leaders – Jake Libby vs Nick Gubbins
Finals are sometimes determined by the large gamers and for either side, they are going to be taking a look at their constant performers with the bat to ship as they’ve all through the competitors.
Worcestershire captain Jake Libby boasts a exceptional profession common of 58.65 in what shall be his fiftieth Checklist A look, amassing 442 runs this marketing campaign with 4 half-centuries and a excessive rating of 112 not out of their opener in opposition to Nottinghamshire Outlaws.
His counterpart Nick Gubbins has loved a extremely productive event with 669 runs – solely bettered by Yorkshire’s Imam-ul-Haq – at an astonishing 95.57 common, which concerned a formidable consecutive run of 60, 81, 87* and 144* through the group phases.
Nonetheless, the 31-year-old left hander was dismissed for single-figure scores in each knockout matches.
Worcestershire shall be sweating on the health of their high run-scorer and fellow key determine Brett D’Oliveira.
He was compelled to depart the sphere with an ankle harm through the ultimate day of their County Championship draw at Durham.
The breakthrough stars – Daniel Lategan vs Ben Mayes
The One Day Cup has now change into synonymous with breeding younger gamers as counties proceed to lose their heavyweights throughout August to the Hundred.
Saturday’s ultimate will present a chance for various rising skills from 2025 to showcase themselves on an enormous stage.
Worcestershire’s Daniel Lategan has been a revelation on the high of the order since breaking into the facet halfway by the group phases, registering 254 runs in simply 5 innings, which culminated with a career-best rating of 78 within the dominant semi-final win in opposition to Somerset.
The 19-year-old South African, at present on an abroad deal forward of changing into locally-qualified, was picked up by MI Cape City within the current SA20 public sale and in addition made his First Class debut for the membership earlier this month.
The 17-year-old wicketkeeper Ben Mayes has additionally impressed in his first style {of professional} cricket for Hampshire, with the England U19 member averaging a commendable 38 in his eight Checklist A innings thus far.
A fast 55-ball 74 on debut and a match-winning, unbeaten 62 in an innings means past his years have been notable highlights, now with publicity to high-pressure conditions after being entrusted to function for the membership of their T20 Blast quarter-final and Finals Day.
All-rounder Andrew Neal, 25, made the step up from 2nd XI cricket this marketing campaign and the left-arm spinner had a right away impression with 13 dismissals and will have an enormous position to play with star man Liam Dawson away on England obligation.
The match winners – Ethan Brookes vs James Fuller
Relating to game-changers with each bat and ball, neither facet is wanting choices – and it might be these all-round influences that show decisive.
Such has been the type of Worcestershire’s high order, Ethan Brookes’ batting exploits haven’t been relied upon usually.
But the main six-hitter within the County Championship has already proven this season simply how a lot of a harmful participant he might be, along with his useful seam bowling, which has additionally accounted for 12 wickets of their One Day Cup marketing campaign.
Worcestershire should not brief on seam bowling all-rounders, with Tom Taylor and Matthew Waite each additionally offering sturdy wicket-taking choices with the brand new ball, in addition to the flexibility to attain fast runs decrease down the order.
Whereas the Rapids have had constant contributions all through their group, Hampshire relied closely on the type of Nick Gubbins all through the group phases.
Nevertheless it was fellow opener Ali Orr who scored an important century of their low-scoring win over Middlesex within the quarter-final at Radlett.
Their semi-final success in opposition to Yorkshire was centred closely across the performances of Liam Dawson and Scott Currie, getting back from the Hundred, however Dawson is as soon as once more unavailable alongside bowler Sonny Baker.
In the meantime, Hampshire are ready to see if Currie shall be granted a return from England’s T20 collection in Eire to play, although they’re boosted by the inclusion of the Blast high run-scorer Toby Albert, who has solely been in a position to function on the one event on this format.
As such, with the potential lack of two key all-rounders, they could look to the skilled James Fuller within the center order, who in his three appearances within the competitors this season, has taken seven wickets and made two useful contributions with the bat in match-winning causes.
The abroad quicks – Khurram Shahzad vs Kyle Abbott
While many counties have been disrupted by the untimely lack of their Australian imports, Worcestershire and Hampshire could have their respective abroad to take the brand new ball.
Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad has proved a helpful addition for Worcestershire within the second half of the season, saving his largest impression thus far for the semi-final win.
The 25-year-old ripped by the damaging Somerset high order in a chic opening spell to finish with figures of 4-36, which set the hosts properly on their method to reserving their spot within the ultimate.
South African veteran Kyle Abbott has been a constant chief of the Hampshire assault for a big time period, notably within the County Championship.
He has additionally been an everyday within the One Day Cup alongside a crop of thrilling younger quick bowlers, including one other 11 scalps to his identify this time round.
Abbott shall be anticipated to pose the most important risk to Worcestershire’s batting order up entrance.
Elsewhere, in Ben Allison, Worcestershire have one of many event’s most spectacular bowlers with 17 wickets at a mean of 17.17 – six of which got here in opposition to their ultimate opponents in a career-best effort through the group stage assembly.
Lastly, Hampshire’s 20-year-old Eddie Jack is one other identify from the South Coast county firmly on England’s radar and has notched 13 wickets within the competitors.
PICTURE: Alamy
One Day Cup ultimate recollections
The Checklist A ultimate has an extended, storied historical past in England’s home calendar, and while its place within the schedule has been altered through the years and moved away from its conventional house at Lord’s in mild of the Hundred’s inception, it stays a massively momentous and tribal event for the perimeters concerned.
We have a look again at a number of the greatest moments the One Day Cup ultimate has produced over the earlier ten seasons.
2023 – Leicestershire win thriller
A raucous Trent Bridge witnessed one of many best finals in English home historical past as Leicestershire recovered to stun Hampshire and land their first Checklist A title since lifting the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1985.
Native lads Harry Swindells and Sam Evans have been the unlikely heroes, sharing a stand of 151 for the seventh-wicket because the Foxes recovered from a nightmare begin at 19-4 to put up a aggressive 267, with Swindells making a maiden century in limited-overs cricket on his first look within the competitors that season.
Needing eight to win off the final over, 19-year-old left-arm fast Josh Hull – who had conceded 70 runs in 9 overs – held his nerve to concede simply 5 singles and take away half-centurion Liam Dawson to spark wild scenes of jubilation on the pitch and within the stands.
2021 – Glamorgan finish trophy drought
The primary ultimate since shifting to Trent Bridge noticed Glamorgan tackle Durham, with the Welsh county clinching their first silverware since 2004, and in doing so additionally secured a maiden victory in a limited-overs cup ultimate.
Following a chaotic schedule with simply two days to organize after their semi-final victory over Essex, Glamorgan produced knowledgeable group efficiency to win by 58 runs, as captain Kiran Carlson top-scored with 82 in a complete of 296, earlier than they restricted Durham to 238 all out with the wickets shared among the many bowlers.
Glamorgan’s triumph was all of the extra spectacular provided that Durham had chosen to reinstate gamers who had been competing within the inaugural version of the Hundred, a call the champions had opted in opposition to.
2017 – Alex Hales produces Lord’s masterclass
Alex Hales’ record-breaking 187 not out guided Nottinghamshire to a four-wicket triumph and inflicted a 3rd successive One Day Cup ultimate defeat on Surrey.
The previous England worldwide registered the best particular person one-day rating at Lord’s and quickest Lord’s home ultimate century (83 deliveries), smashing 20 fours and 4 sixes in his 167-ball innings as Notts chased down their goal of 298 with 13 balls to spare, regardless of Mark Stoneman’s earlier unbeaten 144, which laid the foundations for Surrey’s whole.
Having been given a life on 9, the opener ensured his facet remained forward of the speed all through, however at 150-5, he was not getting sufficient assist on the different finish, till wicketkeeper Chris Learn – enjoying in his ultimate season – made a much-needed half-century in a 137-run stand to steer them to inside touching distance.
2015 – Gloucestershire edge out Surrey
Gloucestershire produced a surprising restoration with the ball to tug off an enthralling six-run victory over Surrey and preserve their spectacular report in Lord’s one-day finals.
A rating of 220 all out appeared means beneath par after Jade Dernbach ended the innings with a hat-trick, although they have been grateful to Geraint Jones’ fifty in his ultimate sport earlier than retirement, and at 143-2 Surrey appeared properly in management till the dismissal of Kumar Sangakkara triggered a dramatic collapse of eight wickets for 71 runs.
Surrey’s center order have been buckling beneath mounting strain, however a 17-year-old Sam Curran threatened to tug his facet over the road till he picked out Benny Howell on the long-on boundary off the primary ball of the ultimate over, with Gareth Batty perishing simply two balls later in a determined try for a boundary which sealed the win for Gloucestershire.
2014 – Ben Stokes shines in tense tussle
5 years previous to his man-of-the-match show in England’s dramatic World Cup victory over New Zealand on the exact same floor, Ben Stokes was influential with bat and ball as Durham held their nerve in a low-scoring contest in opposition to Warwickshire on a dark day at Lord’s.
Stokes’ 2-25 helped to dismiss Warwickshire for simply 165 in bowler-friendly circumstances with the floodlights on from the outset, however at 86-5 in response, the sport remained very a lot within the steadiness with spinner Jeetan Patel (4-25) proving a relentless risk.
Coming in at quantity seven off the again of a chic 164 off 113 balls within the semi-final, Stokes restored a component of calmness to slowly tick off the runs required, remaining unbeaten for an important 38 alongside Gareth Breese as Durham reached their goal with three wickets in hand to safe their second white ball title.
