Report: Pears v Bears Men, Vitality Blast

Worcestershire Rapids, 142 for four, beat Warwickshire Bears, 141 all out, by six wickets.

Warwickshire Bears slipped to a third successive Vitality Blast defeat as rivals Worcestershire Rapids claimed a six-wicket victory at New Road.

The Bears were restricted to 141 all out from 19.5 overs, with Rob Yates top-scoring with 45 from 31 balls and Jordan Thompson adding a late 37 from 31. Worcestershire’s disciplined attack kept the pressure on throughout, led by Usama Mir’s three for 27 and Tom Taylor’s two for 17.

The Rapids then reached 142 for four with seven balls remaining. Kashif Ali anchored the chase with 36 from 30 balls after contributions from each of the top four helped keep the home side in control.

It was another difficult evening for the Bears after Worcestershire struck with the opening ball of the match, Taylor bowling Alex Davies. Beau Webster was then run out in the second over before Sam Hain fell attempting to counter-attack.

Yates provided resistance and struck the first six of the match over long-on off Mir, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Thompson supplied some late momentum with two sixes off Adam Finch to help lift the total past 140, though the innings never fully recovered after slipping to 99 for five.

The Bears needed early breakthroughs in reply and Jordan Thompson delivered one in the powerplay when Brett D’Oliveira picked out mid-wicket. Isaac Mohammed was then stumped charging at Usman Tariq, but Kashif Ali and Adam Hose settled the chase with a composed stand of 47.

Hose was dismissed for 23, but by then the Rapids required fewer than 30 from the final five overs and they closed out victory comfortably through Sikandar Raza and Ethan Brookes.

The result leaves the Bears still searching for their first win of the Blast campaign ahead of Sunday’s home fixture against Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Edgbaston.