Worcestershire Women’s Rapids opened their Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup with a convincing win over Northumberland, in a game where Dutch international Sanya Khurana starred.
The hosts recovered well after losing three wickets for 38 early on however, debutant Sunya Khurana’s quick fire half-century was swiftly followed by a Clare Boycott fifty as the Rapids finished on 159-6.
Daisy Egerton spearheaded the bowling attack, claiming three wickets in another standout Worcestershire debut.
The home side continued in clinical fashion to bowl out Northumberland for 38, as the Rapids emerged as 121-run victors to secure a dominant first win of the tournament.
Worcestershire skipper Clare Boycott won the toss and elected to bat first, as the Rapids went in search of a first victory of the 2026 season.
Welcomed onto the field by members of Himley Cricket Club Junior Girls, the hosts endeavoured to lay solid early foundations but faced an uphill struggle having lost opener Maisie Wright in the first over.
In at number three, Liv Gough showed promise, striking back-to-back boundaries through the offside; however, was pinned in front on the next delivery and departed for 14.
The Rapids’ hopes of setting an imposing total took another blow as Gwen Davies (2), who shone with the bat last time out at Sussex, was caught and bowled, leaving Ed Wilson’s side 38-3 in the fifth over.
Opener Sunya Khurana continued to bat in composed fashion and, having lost Meg Bishop (7) in the eighth over, began the rebuilding process, now joined by skipper Boycott.
Displaying an extravagant array of shots which included eight boundaries, the linchpin of the Rapids’ batting card batted with intelligence to pounce on any bad balls and soon moved to her maiden half century in Rapids’ colours, making 50 runs from 31 deliveries.
Unfortunately for the young Worcestershire talent, she could only add three more to her tally before her highly impressive first outing came to an end, finding the fielder at deep mid-wicket.
With the Rapids now at 107-5, Boycott picked up where Khurana left off.
Batting at six, the experienced Rapids’ captain found the gaps well, eventually moving to 50 in the 19th over, whilst simultaneously pushing the host’s total past the 150 mark.
Lucy Harris added nine before being trapped in front in the 20th over, as the Rapids finished on 159-6, with Boycott unbeaten on 54.
Buoyed by the batting resurgence, the Worcestershire bowlers wasted no time at all in the hunt for Northumberland wickets.
Davies showed brilliant alertness in the field to run out Northumberland opener Iona Lowry (0) off the bowling of Jess Beach.
Emily Churms then pounced in the very next over, as Boycott held on as Gracie Keenan (0) chipped into her arms.
It was then Davies again who recorded her second run out in three overs, this time using her pace to run the ball to the stumps, removing Millie Gray (1) and steering the Rapids into an incredibly commanding position with Northumberland at 3-3.
Sarah Vince and Katie Anderson aimed to rebuild the visitors’ innings, before Charlotte Roberts clean bowled the latter in the 10th over.
Daisy Egerton then joined the attack in a first Rapids appearance for the teenager, with Northumberland at 24-4.
Having taken a stunning caught and bowled in her second over, Egerton then struck twice in the 13th over, bowling the promising Vince (19) to leave Worcestershire in the ascendancy with the away side at 33-7.
Meg Bishop beat Aoife McDermott’s (0) defences before Lucy Harris lured Molly Roberts (0) to feather a delivery behind, as Gough held on behind the stumps.
Harris then struck the very next ball to round off proceedings and hand the Rapids a resounding 121-run victory as Ed Wilson’s side progressed to the next round of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup.
