World Cup winner Moeen confident Rapids can sink on-song Steelbacks

Moeen Ali is confident Worcestershire Rapids are capable of getting the wins they need to qualify for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals - starting with Thursday night's clash with Northants Steelbacks at the County Ground (start 6.30pm).
By Jeremy Casey
Published 9th Jun 2022, 08:58 BST
Updated 9th Jun 2022, 09:12 BST
Worcestershire Rapids skipper Moeen AliWorcestershire Rapids skipper Moeen Ali
Worcestershire Rapids skipper Moeen Ali

It has been a miserable start to the campaign for the 2018 winners, and they currently sit rock-bottom of the North Group with one win and five defeats from their six matches.

Skipper Moeen has only played in two of those games after arriving late to the party due to his IPL commitments, and he has the belief that the Rapids are still capable of rising up the table with eight matches to go.

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Following Thursday's trip to Wantage Road, the Rapids host Derbyshire 24 hours later, and the England World Cup winner is targeting a quickfire win double to kick-start the New Road side's campaign.

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But they will coming up against an in-form Steelbacks, who have won all three of their home games in the competition so far, and sit third in the table.

“It is important we win these next two games, and then we can hopefully get on a run and then you are back in it," said Moeen, who has failed to make an impression in his two appearances so far this season, with scores of 17 and 16 and taking just one wicket.

"When we got to finals days in 2019, we only won six games and qualified.

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“We will probably have to win seven games this year – but it is very doable.”

Moeen is closing in on 5,000 runs in T20 cricket - he needs just 52 - and he believes fortunes can quickly change in the Blast.

“We haven’t been playing so well in T20 cricket and, with being captain, you feel quite responsible for it," he said.

“Hopefully, we will get it right soon. There are still a lot of games to go, and this side is very capable.

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“I think the self-belief, if anything, is down at the moment, so I’ll have to try, myself and Alex (Gidman - head coach), to get that back into the boys a bit more.

“We need that, and we need confidence as well. It is very difficult in T20 cricket, but just as quickly, you can get your confidence high and get on a roll.

“We know what we can do and what we have to do.”

Rapids will be without opening batter Ed Pollock due to illness, and all-rounder Jacques Banton has been added to their squad.

Rapids squad: Brett D’Oliveira, Jake Libby, Moeen Ali (c), Colin Munro, Jack Haynes, Ben Cos (wk), Ed Barnard, Dwayne Bravo, Josh Baker, Dillon Pennington, Pat Brown, Charlie Morris, Gareth Roderick, Jacques Banton

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