2021 County Championship – Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire taking place? Thursday 22nd April, 2021 – 11:00 (UK)
Where is Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire taking place? New Road, Worcester
What is the expected weather for Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire? Sunny and warm
Where can I get tickets for Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire? The County Championship will initially be played without spectators but it is worth checking each county’s official website for updates
What channel is Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Worcestershire vs Nottinghamshire? Matches can be streamed live on the official websites of the First-Class Counties
THE PREDICTION
Worcestershire have begun their 2021 campaign with back-to-back draws against Essex and Derbyshire. They were fortunate to escape Derby with a draw, though. A half-century for the excellent Ben Cox saved the match as he batted for over 50 overs. The form of Ed Barnard will be well-received as the all-rounder has begun with eight wickets in just over 60 overs and he has notched a century in the opening match against Essex before backing that up with a long-standing, match-saving partnership with Cox against Derbyshire.
They are coming up against a Nottinghamshire side that continued their shocking red-ball form. They haven’t won a First Class match in the County Championship or Bob Willis Trophy since June 2018 - a run of 23 matches. Their defeat to Warwickshire last week will hurt as the Bears chased 333 for the loss of seven wickets. It was a run chase of control without Dom Sibley who couldn’t bat due to injury. They were without Jake Ball, Brett Hutton and Luke Fletcher for that match and, despite welcoming Stuart Broad back into the side, were ineffective with the ball.
It is extremely unusual to back a draw for a multi-day cricket match. However, given that Worcestershire have drawn both matches due to a lengthy batting lineup with the lower order contributing and Notts’ failure to win a match in nearly three years - we could be looking at one here. The incentive to bat long periods of time has been increased with eight points being awarded for a draw in 2021, rather than five.
