Worcestershire Academy (Under-18s) are through to the third round of the ECB Under-18 Knockout Cup after defeating Shropshire by 164 runs at Bridgnorth.
Four Worcestershire players – Haris Khan, Gohar Nisar, Callum Bennett and Ciaran Baker-Smith – scored half-centuries in a total of 325-9 in 45 overs after being put in to bat.
Scotland international Oliver Davidson then bowled a crucial spell which earned him three wickets after Shropshire had reached 122-1 in reply.
They were eventually dismissed for 161 after losing nine wickets for 39 runs, and the Academy, who had a first-round bye, will now take on local rivals Warwickshire.
Nisar gave the Academy a flying start with 54 off 42 balls, with one six and seven fours, before he was third out at 75 and another wicket fell at the same total.
But then Bennett – 68 off 58 balls with three sixes and eight fours – and Khan – 86 off 74 deliveries with three sixes and eight fours – added 133 for the fifth wicket.
Khan put on a further 76 with Baker-Smith, whose 59 not out contained two sixes and two fours.
Bilal Arshad made an early breakthrough with the ball for the Academy before Shropshire reached 122-1 in the 23rd over.
But Davidson, who recently made his full debut for Scotland, picked up three of the next four wickets to fall.
He ended with 3-51, and there were two wickets apiece for Nisar, 2-11, and captain Joe Stanley, 2-25.
