Comment

We are the champions: Worcestershire Royals let their hair down after securing the Pro40 title.

WORCESTERSHIRE Royals are the NatWest Pro40 champions.

No you didn't read it wrong, the title is back at New Road for the first time in 19 years.

After being set a testing 271 for victory and the crown, it was openers Moeen Ali and Steven Davies who set up the win needed to wrap up the league, and they did so at Bristol against their fierce rivals Gloucestershire Gladiators.

Graeme Hick and Stephen Moore guided the Royals home to a six-wicket success at Nevil Road after Moeen Ali and Davies had given them the impetus for their first major honour since the C&G Trophy win in 1994, with Moore hitting the winning runs.

"I'm delighted," said director of cricket Steve Rhodes. "This is special for the whole of Worcestershire.

"For the year that we have had this is well deserved. The lads have never moaned, they have just got on with the job.

"We have chased down big scores all season and the opening partnership of Moeen and Davies was a special one.

"I am so pleased for the players because they deserve it."

Moeen may not have been in as blistering form as he was on Sunday, but the 20-year-old left-hander maintained his fine run with a delightful 72 before he dragged Mark Hardinges on to his stumps in the 17th over off just 51 balls.

Davies made a one-day best of 84 before being caught by Craig Spearman, but the opening pair gave the Royals the platform for victory.

Hick cruised his way to 34 with some big shots before being bowled by Carl Greenidge, while Moore kept pace with a wonderfully worked innings.

The Royals, who saw their bowlers put to the sword, made a mockery of England seamer Jon Lewis, while the rest of his attack did not fair much better.

The Gladiators made a good start to their innings with Kadeer Ali and Hamish Marshall putting on a useful opening stand and scoring at a decent rate.

But it was Kadeer to perish first as his cousin Kabir Ali found his outside edge to have the Gloucestershire opener caught behind by Davies for 31, before Marshall quickly followed as he was bowled by Abdul Razzaq to leave the Gladiators 68-2.

Alex Gidman and Spearman set about reparing the innings with a stand of 115 before the England A' all-rounder was stumped for 63 by Davies off Ray Price.

Spearman went on to get 71 before he was run out by Moore and then wickets started to fall regularly.

It looked like the hosts had put on too much for the Royals to chase down, but Rhodes' men got home with six wickets in hand to end their long wait for a major honour.

11:38pm Thursday 13th September 2007

Print

Email this

Comment