Vitality Blast: Worcestershire 'needed' Northants win

STUNNING: Worcestershire Batsman hit an outstanding 88 to propel his side to a six-wicket win over Northants Steelbacks <i>(Image: Worcestershire CCC)</i>
STUNNING: Worcestershire Batsman hit an outstanding 88 to propel his side to a six-wicket win over Northants Steelbacks (Image: Worcestershire CCC)
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KASHIF Ali felt Worcestershire "needed" the victory, after his stunning 88 propelled the side to a six-wicket victory over Northants Steelbacks. 

Heading into the match with Worcestershire in trouble at 3-2, Ali - supported by Gareth Roderick - led an impressive comeback. 

The duo added 127 for the third-wicket, with Ali taking seven fours and four sixes before being caught at 88 - 12 short of his hundred. 

"We needed that win, especially coming back from the last game. We really needed it," admitted Ali after the action. 

"Looking at the first innings, there was a bit in for the bowler, so I thought, I’m not going to take a step back. I’ll just take a step forward and try and attack, make them do something different and I think it helped me.

"Gareth Roderick did a brilliant job as well, staying calm. Rodders took up responsibility of just rotating and letting me play a bit aggressive and it helped."

After speaking to batting consultant Kadeer Ali, Kashif Ali made the decision to return to his natural, instinctual game with the bat. 

"Whatever bowler was going to bowl, I was going to try and watch the ball and play, back my instinct," he said. 

"I was speaking to Kadeer Ali in the morning, he said, just back your instinct, don’t think about anything."


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Chasing down the score of 153 was largely down to the impressive Ali-Roderick partnership, however, the efforts of Rapids' seam bowlers helped to reduce the Steelbacks to 53-5 in the ninth over - a position that the hosts were unable to recover from to post an above par score. 

Tom Finch took 2-22, bowling his four overs straight through to start proceedings, while Adam Finch and Australian Ben Dwarshuis also impressed with the ball. 

Ali added: "I think we bowled really, really well up top. There was a bit in the wicket as well, but we stuck to our plans, which was really good to see. 

"We went for a few at the end, but it’s T20 cricket and that can happen.

"Tom Taylor has been amazing with the new ball for us. Every time he’s had a new ball in his hand, he’s shown some real skills. And like today, he’s done a job for the team."

With the side's Blast qualification hopes still alive, he added: "I mean, we’ve got to believe, right? And we’ve just got to go with the mentality that we’re going to win and go in with the positive and winning mentality."

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