Holders Worcestershire Academy (Under-18s) fought out an exciting draw with Northamptonshire Under-18s on the final day of the ECB Under-18 County Championship Group Two encounter at Bromsgrove School.
Northamptonshire were set a 237 target after the home side were bowled out for 252 in 64 overs in their second innings.
They looked well on course for victory at 121-1 and then 162-2 but Joshua Leach helped bring about a collapse to 169-6 and then 198-8 before the ninth wicket pair held to ensure honours ended even at 209-8 from 42 overs.
Worcestershire collected 13 points from the game, four for batting and bowling plus five for a draw, and Northamptonshire 12.
Leach finished with 4-64 from 13 overs and he dismissed both Arush Buchake (64) and Aadi Sharma (57) who put on 94 for the second wicket.
The highlight of the opening day on Tuesday was an unbeaten century from Alfie Higgins after Worcestershire had been put into bat.
Worcestershire were 92-5 at one stage despite 34 from Daniel Lategan but Higgins and Nathan Jukes (67) added 115 for the sixth wicket.
Higgins received further support from Charlie Egerton during an eighth wicket partnership of 67.
He eventually finished unbeaten on 111 from 186 balls with two sixes and nine fours in a total of 313-8 declared from 105 overs.
Northamptonshire’s reply was dominated by keeper Charlie Oldershaw (142) as they recovered from 74-3 and 189-6 to post a first innings lead of 16.
Ben Clements (3-66) was the most successful Worcestershire bowler with Ollie Smith (2-66) and Ben Clarke (2-74) also amongst the wickets.
Worcestershire changed parts of their batting order for the second innings and Lategan top-scored at number six with 71 from just 86 balls with one maximum and seven boundaries.
After being 124-6, Lategan and Jukes (39) added 91 for the seventh wicket and there was also a useful 40 from Leach at number three before the conclusion to a see-saw final day.
