SKIPPER Daryl Mitchell insists Worcestershire Rapids’ confidence is high for their eagerly-awaited Midlands NatWestT20 Blast derby at Birmingham Bears tonight (7pm).

The teams will also be contesting the Norman Gifford Trophy (NGT) in honour of the current Worcestershire's spin-bowling coach who served both counties with distinction.

The rivals are now to play for the NGT each time they meet in T20 cricket with the return clash at New Road on July 15.

Rapids opened their North Group campaign with a comprehensive 38-run victory against Durham Jets after Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s stunning 127 propelled them to a formidable 225-6.

And the New Road club followed up that victory with a crushing seven-wicket win at Leicestershire in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two.

Bears began their T20 season with a six-wicket triumph against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Jeetan Patel took 3-23 in Nottinghamshire’s 179-7 and Bears opener Sam Hain hit an unbeaten 92 from 54 balls and Chris Woakes made 16 not out as they reached the target with two balls to spare.

Worcestershire were beaten twice by Bears in the group stage last season but Mitchell believes their trip to Edgbaston is one his troops will relish.

“We will go into the game with a lot of confidence after some really good cricket,” said Mitchell.

“We had a great win in our opening match against Durham Jets and there were some very good individual performances.

“There are still areas to work on but we’ve now won two successive matches and hopefully that will give our confidence a lift for the match against Bears.”

Joe Leach is in tremendous form for Worcestershire after bagging 5-33 against Durham at New Road and then taking nine wickets in the Championship success against Leicestershire.

Worcestershire are aiming to reach the T20 finals day for their first time in their history, particularly after last summer’s weather-affected home quarter-final home defeat to Hampshire.

Rapids will once again be without all-rounder Moeen Ali who has been joined in the England squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka by Bears’ Woakes.

Bears' side will include former England batsman Ian Bell and Luke Ronchi will make his home T20 debut alongside fellow Kiwi Jeetan Patel.

They will line-up against a Rapids team including Black Caps aces Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry.

Last May, Rapids slipped to an 18-run defeat to Bears in a low-scoring game at Edgbaston.

Rapids restricted the hosts to 144-5 and despite 34 from Mitchell and 33 from Ross Whiteley Worcestershire were shot out for 126.

And the Birmingham club completed a T20 double over Worcestershire in the return match with a five-wicket success with three balls to spare.

Kohler-Cadmore’s 66 and a quick-fire unbeaten 56 from Brett D’Oliveira lifted Rapids to 160-5, but 52 not out from Rikki Clarke guided Bears to the target.

Mitchell said: “We are very much looking forward to this game because it’s against our Midlands rivals and there will be a good crowd and a lively atmosphere.

“It’s one of those games which you look to when you get the fixture list before the start of the season. Hopefully, we can back up our performance against Durham with a second win.”

Worcestershire’s probable squad: Mitchell (captain), Kohler-Cadmore, Clarke, Santner, Whiteley, D’Oliveira, Cox, Leach, Barnard, Henry, Shantry, Kervezee, Morris