Worcestershire Rapids made it two wins out of two in the Royal London One-day Cup after overcoming Yorkshire Vikings by four runs in a thriller at Headingley.
The game was in the balance right up until the final ball after the Rapids had amassed 350-6 with significant contributions from Joe Clarke, Travis Head, Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley.
A second successive six would have given the Vikings victory but Andrew Hodd could only manage a single off paceman Charlie Morris – and the Rapids were over the finishing line.
Worcestershire’s total was their second highest in 50 over cricket against first class opposition and only surpassed by their 361-8 against Leicestershire at Grace Road last summer.
Once again a late assault by Cox and Whiteley in another century partnership stand built on the foundations laid by the earlier batsman.
Remarkably, the last 10 overs versus Derbyshire Falcons and now the Vikings produced 122 runs for the Rapids.
The Rapids, who made one change with Pat Brown replacing Josh Tongue, were put into bat and opener Daryl Mitchell (11) was lbw to Ben Coad.
But Clarke and Head scored freely during a second wicket stand of 108 in 17 overs.
Clarke brought up his fifty with a six off Adil Rashid and he had looked in excellent touch in moving onto 61 from 64 balls with one six and six fours when he was dismissed in an unfortunate manner.
Head powered back a straight drive but bowler Rashid deflected the shot onto the stumps with Clarke out of his ground.
The half century for Head came from just 57 deliveries with seven boundaries and he and Tom Fell (32) added a further 66 in 12 overs to keep the scoreboard ticking along.
Fell aimed a sweep at Rashid and was bowled but Brett D’Oliveira ensured the momentum of the innings was maintained with a breezy 23 before he holed out on the boundary off Steve Patterson after making room to cut.
Head’s fine knock ended on 77 when Rashid held onto a return catch at 220-5 in the 39th over. The Australian left hander faced 94 balls and hit one six and six fours.
But then it again became the Cox and Whiteley show as they peppered – and cleared – the boundary.
They reached their half centuries off 32 and 35 balls respectively and the partnership was worth 110 off 10.2 overs when Cox (50) was caught behind, having smashed two sixes and six fours.
Whiteley brought up the 350 with boundaries off the final two deliveries from Tim Bresnan in an over costing 20 runs. He ended unbeaten on 66 from 41 balls with two sixes and nine fours in another superb display of hitting.
When Yorkshire batted, former Rapids opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore continued his good form in partnership with Adam Lyth in a stand of 72 in 12 overs.
Ed Barnard had Lyth (29) caught behind but then Kohler-Cadmore and Chetashwar Pujara joined forces to add 101 and take Yorkshire to 173-1 in the 30th over.
D’Oliveira then struck twice in three balls as Kohler-Cadmore (89 from 85 balls with three sixes and seven fours) was caught at long on and James Wainman(0) was smartly taken by Cox down the leg side.
Jack Brook (5) gave Brown the charge and sliced into the hands of Fell at third man at 184-4.
Pujara and Jack Leaning kept the Vikings in the hunt and they entered the last 10 overs on 240-4.
The former went to an excellent 100 from 92 balls with one six and 10 fours before Leaning (25) was caught at deep extra cover by D’Oliveira off the returning Morris.
Fell then produced a stunning diving catch at deep mid wicket to pick up the prized wicket of Pujara (101) off Barnard at 258-6 in the 43rd over.
But cameo innings from Rashid – 24 off 10 – and Tim Bresnan – 26 off 15 – kept the Vikings in the hunt.
Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach had Rashid pouched by Head at short third man and Cox held a skier by Bresnan off Barnard.
Four quickfire boundaries from Patterson (17) ensured the Vikings remained in contention before he perished to the Cox-Leach combination.
Sixteen were needed off the final over from Morris and, despite conceding a six off the fifth delivery to Andrew Hodd, the Rapids were able to celebrate another win.
It means their North Group record since the start of the 2016 season is Played 18, Won 12, Lost 4, Tied 1, Abandoned 1.
