Metro Bank One-Day Cup

I fear Somerset will be too strong for Worcestershire but I hope to be proven completely wrong.

Yorkshire v Hampshire is a tough one to call but maybe home advantage will be a crucial factor.

Worcestershire are clearly underdogs, but that could take the pressure off to a degree.

I'm not sure Yorkshire want to win enough as they have resisted the opportunity to bring Bairstow into the side. I get that you want to show loyalty to those who have got the team to this stage, but Bluey has been in good form during The Hundred & Duke has had little impact with the bat.
The club have made an error regarding the keeper captaincy situation & have lost Tattersall whose captaincy & batting was significantly important to gaining Div 1 status. If Yorkshire fail to keep that status under Bairstow they will have clearly backed the wrong horse.

Snooks and predictions eh?
Never ask me for the lottery numbers

Congrats to the Pears on a convincing win & best of luck in the final.

Yorkshire crashed out after being well in the game at different point in both innings. I am adamant that selection has contributed. Bairstow is one of England's finest 50 over batters, Jordan Thompson is experienced & a death bowling specialist, both overlooked. Yet Hampshire couldn't ignore Dawson with his canny bowling, a genuine allrounder & Scott Currie who has had an impressive Hundred campaign with bowling skills. They both took 2 wickets, but their 136 partnership Dawson 142, Currie 61 no completely transformed their innings. Runs flowed freely with little or no answer from the Yorkshire bowling attack, the wicket taking nous of Thompson was missed. Either arrogance or stupidity prevented Yorkshire from picking the best available side.
The case was curtailed twice by rain. After the first resumption as is often the case a wicket fell. The next delay led to a recalculation & the rate jumped from 7 to 8.The magnificent Imam ul Haq completed yet another ton, but run himself out soon after & they slumped to defeat. Had Yorkshire won, Imam would've been missing anyway having earned a recall to the Pakistan ODI side. Know doubt we'd have shot ourselves in the foot by still not utilizing the talents of Bairstow.
When the dust has settled I'll look back on this as big improvement after some disappointing results in recent years.

I'm disappointed for Yorkshire .
They looked in a good position for quite a while in the chase with wickets in hand but the interruptions didn't help them and once Imam got out the momentum shifted away from them.

Worcestershire have had a terrible season in the County Championship and were poor in the Blast as well so this One Day Cup has been a bit of a season saver. They topped the group and have convincingly seen off Somerset to make the final. They have had relatively small rotation in the tournament with everyone chipping in and doing their bit. A proper squad effort to reach the final.
Hampshire will be the toughest of tough opponents but if The Pears players keep to the level they have produced through most of the tournament they must surely, stand a chance . I hope for the best.

The best aspect of this comp is to see the development of young players. It acts as a bridge between 2nd XI cricket & first team championship cricket. Worcestershire's top scorer today is a good case in point, the 19 year old has put up some decent numbers in the 2nd's & earned a spot halfway through this comp, after a good knock in the middle order he was moved up to open & contributed well in every innings.
Today the Pears had to overcome the double threat of the Rew brothers, James made Somerset's top score of 47 & also captained & kept wicket at only 21 he must surely gain England honours at some point. Remember he is also the youngest English batsman to 10 first class centuries since the great Dennis Compton. Thomas at 17 missed out today, but has averaged 40+.

It's good to see the 2nd XI championship is still around