Worcestershire keeper-batter Seth Essenhigh hit a rapid half century to help the Midlands defeat the North by one wicket in a thrilling encounter at the ECB Super Fours at Loughborough.
Academy product Essenhigh smashed 56 off just 37 balls batting at number six after the Midlands had been set a 325 target in 44 overs.
It was their second successive win after overcoming South and West by six wickets in their opening fixture.
Essenhigh struck two sixes and eight fours after coming to the wicket at 85-3 and put on 75 for the fourth wicket with BJ Hatton-Lowe (61).
Essenhigh was fourth out at 160 but another Worcestershire player in Josh Leach also made an important contribution batting at number 10 with 23 off 19 balls before he was run out.
Leach was ninth out at 313-9 with 12 still needed but the Midlands managed to get over the finishing line with three balls to spare.
Toby Cox (0-71) and Leach (0-38) had been part of the Midlands attack as the North totalled 324-7.
Another Worcestershire player in Jack Home played for the South and West who went down by 17 runs to London-East.
Home, who played five times for Worcestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, had figures of 1-67 in a London-East total of 308-6 from 45 overs and then struck an unbeaten 25 off nine balls as South and West closed on 291-8.
