Worcestershire suffered their first defeat in all cricket of 2017 as the Rapids went down by 152 runs to Lancashire Lightning in a Royal London One-Day Cup match at Emirates Old Trafford.
Lancashire were able to total 313-5 in their 50 overs after choosing to bat, with Dane Vilas scoring his maiden century for the home side, despite an excellent spell from Brett D'Oliveira.
The Rapids recovered from losing two early wickets to reach 70-2 but then Jordan Clark followed up his 79 not out by ripping out the middle order and finishing with 4-34.
The Rapids were eventually bowled out for 161 in 34.5 overs.
Now they will be looking to bounce back in quickfire fashion against local rivals Warwickshire at New Road on Friday and put their qualification hopes back on track.
The first half of Lancashire’s innings was characterised by steady accumulation punctuated by the regular loss of wickets and the second half by an unbroken 160-run partnership between Vilas and Clark, the latter’s power-hitting contrasting with the South African’s inventive strokeplay and astute innings management.
Alex Davies lost his middle stump to the twelfth ball of the day, bowled by John Hastings, and Haseeb Hameed, having batted competently for 36, edged Josh Tongue to Ben Cox when shaping to work the ball to third man.
Tongue soon collected his second notable wicket when Liam Livingstone (18) pulled him to Ross Whiteley at deep square leg.
Lancashire’s problems were compounded five overs later when Karl Brown was bowled by Brett D’Oliveira for a well-made 77-ball 63 which had included four fours and two sixes.
Vilas marked his arrival at the wicket by reverse sweeping his first ball from Moeen Ali for four but the England off-spinner claimed an important wicket shortly after when he had Steven Croft lbw for five, leaving Lancashire on 153 for five in the 32nd over.
D’Oliveira’s well-controlled leg spin earned him figures of one for 32 from his ten overs but the other bowlers came in for punishment as Vilas and Clark’s partnership gathered pace.
Ali was twice lifted for straight sixes by Clark as the pair set a new List A sixth-wicket record for Lancashire against Worcestershire.
Vilas hit twelve fours and, having reached his fifty off 49 balls, took a further 34 deliveries to reach a hundred which was completed off the fourth ball of the final over.
Clark finished with 79 not out off 58 balls having hit four fours and three sixes while Tongue finished with two for 46 off seven overs.
Needing to score at 6.26 runs per over to win, Worcestershire’s innings started badly as Ali was caught behind off James Anderson in the third over after the resumption.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore mis-drove Kyle Jarvis to Stephen Parry at mid on three overs later and, after a 59 run stand between Daryl Mitchell and Joe Clarke, four wickets went down in 21 balls for 12 runs.
Mitchell departed for 29 when he chipped Parry to Brown at midwicket and D’Oliveira then feathered a catch to Davies off Clark, who also had his near namesake athletically caught by Anderson for 36.
When Ross Whiteley was bowled by one that kept a little low from Clark, Worcestershire were 82 for six in the 18th over.
Their plight became worse four overs later when Ed Barnard chopped Clark on to his stumps.
Skipper Joe Leach was caught at cover, Ben Cox (24) was bowled after coming down the wicket and Tongue perished at mid off to leave Hastings unbeaten on 30 with three sixes.
