SECURING a T20 Vitality Blast quarter-final place remains in Worcestershire Rapids' hands after their draw with Durham via the Duckworth Lewis Method on Friday night.
Bad light stopped play in the 11th over of the Rapids' reply to Durham's sizeable 216/4, with the home side 112/3. The two sides were tied via the DLS when the players were brought off the field.
We are still waiting for a decision from the umpires but the light doesn't look to be improving. pic.twitter.com/hPCQxnjzLC
— Worcestershire Rapids (@WorcsCCC) June 30, 2023
After a lengthy delay, the game was eventually abandoned and, given that both sides had batted at least five innings, the match was completed and a point was awarded to each side.
The Duckworth Lewis Method is a a mathematical formula used to create a new target of runs for a team if their innings' is disrupted by weather. That formula takes both overs left in the innings and how many wickets are still in hand, to produce a revised total.
In this instance, that total was 112 and therefore the game was declared a draw.
It was most likely a welcomed point for the Rapids, who were right up against it in their chase after a poor bowling display.
Having won the toss, Dillon Pennington struck in the first over for the Rapids, but the away side were able to take advantage of some loose deliveries and poor fielding to rack up a big score.
Durham opener Graham Clark scored 78 runs off 47 deliveries, whilst Michael Jones (39 off 28), Brydon Carse (39 off 19) and Ashton Turner (33 off 15) found it all too easy to find the boundary.
Pennington shipped 50 runs for a single wicket, whilst Usama Mir went for 47 and both Pat Brown and Adam Finch had 30+ runs scored against them.
In response, Mitchell Santner (42) hit nine 4s in just 20 balls as he attempted to ramp up the big chase but eventually, the light darkened and put an end to the game.
The Rapids remain in third place in the North Group table ahead of the final match of the regular T20 season.
They now go to Derbyshire requiring a win to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.
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