Blast Preview: Bears v Rapids

Birmingham Bears welcome some big players back into the squad for the vital Vitality Blast derby against Worcestershire Rapids at Edgbaston tomorrow.

For a match the Bears must win to retain a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals, they will have Carlos Brathwaite and Danny Briggs back after Covid and international duty respectively. West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers is also available to make his belated debut after a Covid-related absence.

Victory over the Rapids would keep the pot boiling for Sunday when Chris Woakes will be available for the final group game, at home to Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

The Bears' fate is not entirely in their own hands. In a scramble with the Rapids, Durham and Lancashire Lightning for the two remaining available qualification spots, they will need to win both their games and then for other results to fall their way.

All they can do is control what they can control and win their last two games which are, says first team coach Mark Robinson, 'do or die.'

"We have two games to come and they are two cup finals in many ways," he said. "They are do or die games and if we win both of them we'll have a good chance of going through. Two wins is the goal.

"Our bowling resources have been hit but we haven't batted well enough in T20 in the last couple of weeks, that's a fact. But we will have some experienced players back for tomorrow and it is a big game and a local derby which gives it even more spice."

The Rapids know that victory tomorrow would secure their qualification, but a win for the Bears would open the equation right up going into the last round of games on Sunday.