WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids began their Vitality Blast campaign in winning fashion as new signings Adam Hose and Usama Mir starred in their 15-run win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks. 

Hose, having impressed in his early weeks as a Worcestershire player in red-ball cricket, scored 61 off 40 balls to guide Worcestershire to 196/9, with new overseas signing Mir scoring some valuable late runs.

The Pakistan international one-day bowler then showed his ability with the ball as the Rapids recovered from shipping 50 runs inside the first four overs to restrict the Steelbacks to 181/8, with Mir recording figures of 3-21 and captain Brett D'Oliveira also taking three wickets (3-28) to complete the win. 

The visitors had won the toss and chose to bat first but Michael Bracewell (6) and Brett D'Oliveira (11) both fell early on to Tom Taylor.

But Hose and Jack Haynes scored 16 off the final over of the powerplay to take the score to 57/2 and the pair put on a 49-run partnership before Haynes departed for a quickfire 27 off 16 balls. 

Whilst Hose played patiently at one end, Kashif Ali was doing anything but and he sent two balls flying over the ropes before he was caught in the deep off the bowling of David Willey for 16. 

Ben Cox took the Rapids to the 100-run mark and that was soon followed by Hose completing a 34-ball half-century. 

The pair put on 46 for the fifth wicket before Hose was finally caught for 61 but Cox was then joined by Ed Pollock, who wasted no time in finding the boundary. The former raced out to 22 off just eight deliveries. 

They were dismissed in the 18th and 19th overs respectively before new overseas signing Mir came to the crease and produced two maximums and a four inside just seven balls to add vital runs to the score.

Adam Finch (1) and Mitchell Stanley (1) were both run-out trying to increase the score and the innings came to an end at 196/9. 

It was an, ironically, a rapid response from the off for Northamptonshire when they came to the crease and Ricardo Vasconcelos and Chris Lynn took the hosts to 50 runs inside the opening four overs.

But Mitchell Stanley picked up the big wicket of Chris Lynn (28) when he found the hands of Pat Brown at deep backward square.

Usama Mir came into the attack for the eighth over and was successful with his fourth delivery bowling Ricardo Vasconcelos for 32.

Pat Brown swapped ends and accounted for Josh Cobb, with Adam Finch holding onto an excellent low catch running in from the cover boundary.

Usama Mir swapped to the pavilion end and experienced more joy as Saif Zaib went for a reverse sweep and picked out Kashif Ali at short fine leg.

The Rapids attack was now on top, and when D’Oliveira came into the attack, he had Willey (36) safely pouched by Haynes at deep backward square.

Usama Mir made it three wickets in three overs as Rob Keogh could only find Brown at deep mid-wicket.

Lewis McManus perished to Bracewell at long on, and Sales was bowled to complete an excellent night’s work with the ball by D’Oliveira.