Rehaan Edavalath hit a magnificent 172 not out as Worcestershire Academy launched their ECB Under-18 County Championship Group Two programme with a three wicket win over Northamptonshire at Kidderminster.
Edavalath, who recently signed his first professional rookie contract at New Road, struck two sixes and 22 fours in his 209 ball knock as Worcestershire chased down a 354 target in 69.3 overs.
It was another example of the potential of Edavalath, a member of the 2021-2022 Academy intake who struck a century for the Seconds earlier this summer against the South Asian Cricket Academy.
The opener received excellent support all down the batting order with six players scoring between 24 and 30.
It enabled Worcestershire to collect 24 points from their opening three-day fixture – 16 for a win, four for batting and four for bowling.
Northamptonshire had resumed day three on 120-3 in their second innings and extended their total to 285-9 from 64.5 overs before declaring at lunch.
Ben Clarke dismissed top scorer Aum Raykar (72) and finished with 3-45 from 13.4 overs while there was one wicket apiece for Harry Darley, Jack Warner, Reeve Evitts, Gohar Nisar and Ciaran Baker-Smith.
Edavalath then took centre stage and gradually accelerated, reaching his fifty off 78 balls, his century off 130 and the 150 from 183 deliveries.
He featured in stands of 41 with Olly Cox (27), 49 with Callum Bennett (24), 42 with Evitts (27), 91 with Oliver Halion (30), 68 with Luke Powell (26) and 44 with Clarke (24).
