Worcestershire CCC duo Jack Haynes and Zain Ul-Hassan made important contributions with the bat as the Midlands made it two wins out of two in the Super Fours with a 34 run triumph over holders the North at Louhborough.
Haynes opened the innings and made 49 off 91 balls and struck six fours as he shared an opening stand of 70 with Warwickshire’s Robert Yates (32).
He was eventually third out at 118 but that marked the arrival at the wicket of Ul-Hassan who made 44 off only 48 balls with four boundaries.
Ul-Hassan added 60 for the fifth wicket with Warwickshire’s Ethan Brookes (37).
He was ninth out at 229 and the Midlands added two more runs before they were dismissed for 231 in 49.5 overs.
The Lancashire trio of seamer Rehan Udwadia (4-38) and slow left armers Jack Morley (1-29) and Mo Ahmed (2-49) were amongst the wickets.
Ul-Hassan also picked up an early wicket when the North replied in dismissing one of the openers in Ed Fluck for 17.
Then Worcestershire paceman Adam Finch, who had shared the new ball, mopped up the final two wickets as the North were bowled out for 197.
Finch finished with figures of 8.1-0-32-2 and Ul-Hassan 4-0-25-1.
Nottinghamshire’s Jordan Cook returned 3-29 while fellow spinner Hamidullah Qadri of Derbyshire bowled his 10 overs for just 26 runs and one wicket.
The Midlands now top the table on four points followed by the South West (2) and then the North and London-East on one point apiece.
Victory – or indeed a tie or a wash-out – would clinch the title for Midlands on Friday when they face London-East after Thursday’s rest day.
