In a tense Vitality Blast thriller at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, Gloucestershire edged Worcestershire by three runs on the back of a superb match-winning bowling performance from Duan Jansen. It was Gloucestershire’s fifth win in six group-stage matches, leaving them well placed for the finals.
Gloucestershire took first use of a fine batting surface and compiled 148 for 8 from those 20 overs. Ben Charlesworth played the starring innings with the bat, scoring a run-a-ball 49. The host lost wickets at regular intervals but were able to form useful partnerships that took them to a score they could defend.
The visitors got off to a haphazard start when Tom Taylor claimed D’Arcy Short wicketless on the third delivery of the match. Gloucestershire were feeling the pressure and lost Joe Phillips for 13 and Miles Hammond for just three during the powerplay. But Charlesworth came back strongly and later found an ally in skipper Jack Taylor who made 26. The duo were steadying the innings and led the home side to 76 for 3 at halfway stage.
The later part of the innings saw Worcestershire’s bowlers really tightening the screws. Sikandar Raza was brilliantly economical, giving just 19 runs in his four overs for the key wicket. Tom Taylor and Matthew Waite claimed two wickets apiece as Gloucestershire managed just a further 45 runs in the last six overs.
And the wicket of Joe Leach and that crushing, five-over spell by Jansen effectively finished off Worcestershire’s ambitions after they were set 149 to win. The left-arm seamer struck five times taking the scalps of Brett D’Oliveira, Isaac Mohammed, Kashif Ali and Ethan Brookes during the powerplay. He claimed four wickets to leave Worcestershire on 28 – 4 and Gloucestershire completely in control of the match.
Despite the early blows, Raza made an aggressive recovery. Then across the middle overs, Chibhabha played an aggressive knock of 47 off just 31 balls hitting multiple boundaries and sixes to keep them in the chase. But Gloucestershire’s bowlers kept up the pressure all the way through.
Gloucestershire were aided by Marchant de Lange and Jack Taylor with 2 wickets each as they held it together near the end. Worcestershire fought on until the last delivery but were bowled out for 145, three runs short of an amazing comeback.