Worcestershire Seconds went down by four wickets after Ben Curran hit 161 for Northamptonshire Seconds as they chased down a target of 384 in the Championship match at Chester Road, Kidderminster.
The home side held the upper hand for most of the game, scoring 406-5 declared and then, after earning a first innings lead of 147, racing to 236-2 declared in their second innings with skipper Ollie Westbury completing his third Championship hundred of the campaign.
But Curran – the brother of Sam and Tom Curran – took his side to within 57 of victory before he was dismissed after striking 26 fours in his 204 ball knock.
The Worcestershire bowlers stuck gamely to their task but Ben Coddington (58) and Ben Cotton (82 not out) gave Curran fine support.
Worcestershire resumed on 182-1 and added another 54 runs in just 4.4 overs before the declaration which gave Northamptonshire 89 overs to chase their target.
Westbury ended unbeaten on 105 from 148 balls with 15 fours and Josh Dell, who was on five overnight, raced to 49 from 40 deliveries with one six and seven fours before his dismissal was followed immediately by the declaration.
Adam Finch struck an early blow for Worcestershire when he had Charlie Home (1) caught behind with nine on the board.
But the majority of the remainder of the day was dominated by Curran who shared a second wicket stand of 156 with Coddington before the latter was lbw to Andy Carter.
It became 187-3 when Carter bowled Ben Claydon (9) and Danny Davies (23) was caught behind off Finch.
Pat Brown finally ended Curran’s knock at 327-5 when he holed out to Nick Hammond at mid off and then 25 runs later George Rhodes trapped Jack Potticary lbw.
But that was Worcestershire’s last success and Cotton’s 85 ball knock with one six and 12 fours saw Northamptonshire over the line.
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WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – SECOND INNINGS CONTINUED
(overnight 182-1)
Westbury not out 105
Dell c Potticary b Heathfield 49
Extras 6
Total (for 2 wickets declared) 236 in 50.4 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 236
BOWLING
Muirden 5-0-21-0
White 9-5-34-0
Claydon 7-2-26-0
Heathfield 8.4-0-44-1
Haddow 11-1-46-1
Davies 10-1-61-0
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NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SECONDS – SECOND INNINGS
Curran c Hammond b Brown 161
Home c Milton b Finch 1
Coddington lbw Carter 58
Claydon b Carter 9
Davies c Milton b Finch 29
Cotton not out 82
Potticary lbw Rhodes 6
White not out 18
Extras 23
Total (for 6 wickets) 387 in 79.3 overs
FOW: 9, 165, 187, 240, 327, 372
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BOWLING
Finch 13-4-46-2
Grey 9-0-33-0
Carter 14-0-67-2
Brown 10-0-66-1
Ul-Hassan 5-0-19-0
Rhodes 19-1-85-1
Johal 7-1-37-0
Westbury 2.3-0-19-0
