WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids get their NatWest T20 Blast 2017 campaign under way with a mouth-watering home clash with local rivals Birmingham Bears.
The "sold-out" signs are hoped for at New Road on Friday, July 7, for the meeting with the Bears, who Rapids completed a memorable double over last season.
Worcestershire triumphed by five wickets at Edgbaston thanks to an unbeaten 62 from Brett D'Oliveira and won the return encounter by the same margin with George Rhodes returning 4-13 and Daryl Mitchell hitting 61.
The Blast has traditionally been launched in mid-May but next year the group fixtures will be fought out in a six-week block from early July to mid-August before the last eight and then the traditional finals day at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 2.
The Bears showdown is the first of four successive home fixtures in the Blast for Rapids, who missed out on a fourth quarter-final in five years in 2016.
It is an opportunity to gain early momentum on home soil in the group stages and assistant-coach Matt Mason revealed the determination and belief of the squad to seal a first finals day spot.
Mason said: "We will start the season like every year with promotion in the County Championship high on the agenda but I think the T20 Blast is another competition our lads really do believe they can win.
"We just need to be more consistent in our performances in that competition. We are one of only two teams not to make it to finals day, which is a frustration to Bumpy (Steve Rhodes) and I and everyone I guess because we are certainly good enough.
"Two years ago we had the blip in the quarter-final and this year we started so well and just dropped away.
"We are all keen to put that right next year and maybe having the fixtures in a block might be of benefit to us, getting on a roll with that momentum and keeping it going."
After the Bears clash, Rapids will entertain Leicestershire Foxes, Derbyshire Falcons and Lancashire Lightning before the first away game with Yorkshire Vikings.
FIXTURES
JULY
7 Birmingham Bears HOME
14 Leicestershire Foxes HOME
19 Derbyshire Falcons HOME
21 Lancashire Lightning HOME
23 Yorkshire Vikings HEADINGLEY
26 Notts Outlaws TRENT BRIDGE
27 Northamptonshire Steelbacks NORTHAMPTON
30 Durham Jets HOME
AUGUST
4 Birmingham Bears EDGBASTON
5 Northamptonshire Steelbacks HOME
11 Durham Jets EMIRATES RIVERSIDE
13 Notts Outlaws HOME
16 Lancashire Lightning EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD
18 Derbyshire Falcons 3AAA COUNTY GROUND
22-25 T20 BLAST QUARTER-FINALS
SEPTEMBER
2 T20 BLAST FINALS DAY EDGBASTON
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