T20 Blast 2018: Worcestershire ropes in Martin Guptill and Callum Ferguson

Worcestershire had an abysmal season in the erstwhile edition of the T20 Blast. They finished ninth among teams in the North Group having won only three out of their 14 games. Durham, on account of having a lower net-run rate, finished as the cellar dweller. Meanwhile, Worcestershire would be hoping to turn their fortunes around in the upcoming edition of the tournament.

Recently, as per reports in Times of India, they have signed Martin Guptill and Callum Ferguson for the 2018 T20 Blast. However, both cricketers won’t be playing together in the team. Guptill, the New Zealand batsman, will be available for the first eight games after which Ferguson, the Australian cricketer, will take over for the last six games. Meanwhile, Kevin Sharp, the team’s coach is delighted over the introduction of the Kiwi in their lineup.

“An exciting signing for us”- Sharp

“Martin is a world-class player. With Martin and Travis (Head) and the rest of our batting line-up, it will be quite a scary prospect for some opposition sides to think what might happen. It is exciting for us to sign someone of his quality and I’m sure he is someone all the Rapids supporters will look forward to watching” Sharp said.

Callum Ferguson has struggled to cement his spot in the Australian squad, however, his match-winning ability with the willow can’t be undermined by any stretch of the imagination. Meanwhile, he has also welcomed the Australian cricketer in their ranks. “Callum is very keen to get back playing representative cricket and get himself back to where he wants to be, and it is another excellent signing for us.” he added.

The tournament begins on July 04 where four teams will be pitted against each other. Worcestershire will play their first game against Lancashire at the Old Trafford in Manchester on the next day and will be looking to kick-start their campaign on a winning note.

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