Worcestershire Academy’s excellent run in the ECB County Under-18 Cup ended when they went down by 83 runs to Northamptonshire in a quarter-final tie at Stourport.
The Academy had progressed through three rounds and defeated local rivals Warwickshire to reach the last eight.
But Northamptonshire totalled a formidable 284 in 48.1 overs, despite five Worcestershire bowlers taking two wickets apiece.
Worcestershire were then dismissed for 201 in 42.3 overs, with Ismael Mohammed and Ollie Walker top-scoring with 39 apiece.
They had to make two changes to their original line-up, with Henry Cullen and Olly Davidson called into the Worcestershire Rapids squad for the Royal London Cup match with Yorkshire at Scarborough.
Northamptonshire opted to bat and reached 44-0 before Reeve Evitts and Ben Clarke removed the openers in the space of seven runs.
Two wickets apiece for captain Joe Stanley and Mohammed kept Northamptonshire in check at 177-6, but the lower order boosted the final total although Walker dismissed top scorer Archie Houghton for 52.
Evitts finished with figures of 8-0-45-2, Clarke 7-0-42-2, Walker 8.1-0-54-2, Stanley 10-0-41-2 and Mohammed 10-1-47-2.
Olly Cox (16) and Walker (39 off 42 balls) put on 53 for the first wicket, and Worcestershire reached 139-3 after 28 overs.
But then two wickets fell in the next over to tip the scales in Northamptonshire’s favour.
