Ethan Brookes superb all-round performance proved in vain as injury-hit Worcestershire Rapids went down by six wickets to Yorkshire Vikings in a high scoring Vitality Blast thriller at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
Brookes smashed 44 off just 21 balls in a formidable Worcestershire total of 205-6 after they had been put into bat.
He then picked up all four Yorkshire wickets to fall and ended with figures of 4-41.
An unbeaten 93 from England one-day player, Dawid Malan, plus some big late hitting from Jordan Thompson saw the visitors win with three balls to spare.
Worcestershire were not helped by further injuries to spinner Hayden Walsh and all-rounder Matthew Waite which forced them to leave the field during the Yorkshire innings.
Key batters Adam Hose and Kashif Ali were also ruled out before the game in addition to pace bowler Nathan Smith from the derby win over the Bears.
But Worcestershire made their opponents scrap all the way for victory despite the injury setbacks.
They topped 200 for the first time this season thanks to aggressive batting from Brett D’Oliveira, Josh Cobb, Ethan Brookes and Rob Jones.
It was the fourth successive match that they had achieved their highest score of the campaign after 181-4, 184-8 and 187-6 in the previous trio of matches versus Lancashire, Leicestershire and Birmingham.
It left Yorkshire needing to achieve their second highest ever run chase to achieve victory after scoring 208 to defeat Durham at Headingley two years ago.
D’Oliveira returned to the side after missing the derby win over Birmingham Bears with a shoulder injury in addition to Jake Libby.
Yorkshire captain Shan Masood won the toss and put the Rapids into bat on a fresh pitch.
Ed Pollock made a positive start as he turned Ben Cliff off his legs for the first boundary and then top edged over the keeper in an opening over costing 10 runs.
D’Oliveira carved Cliff for six to third man but Pollock was caught at mid on in the same over for 10 trying to hit over the top.
But a succession of boundaries from D’Oliveira and Cobb meant the Rapids 50 came up in just 4.2 overs.
Cobb tucked into Cliff with 4-4-6 off successive deliveries and the Rapids ended the powerplay on 67-1.
D’Oliveira carved Jordan Thompson over backward point to complete a 23 ball half century stand.
The introduction of Chohan ended the partnership on 64 with D’Oliveira (42 off 28 balls) stumped after coming down the pitch to the spinner.
Gareth Roderick then tried to reverse sweep Chohan and was bowled but the Rapids reached 106-3 after the opening 10 overs.
New batter Ethan Brookes was quickly into his stride with a succession of sweeps and reverse sweeps which brought him a trio of successive fours at Dan Moriarity’s expense.
Cobb again batted well in making 34 off 22 balls before he became Chohan’s third victim after he switched ends when picking out long off.
There was more success for Chohan when Brookes, having hit a splendid 44 off 21 balls, perished at cover and he ended with 4-29.
But Jones sustained the momentum for Worcestershire by making an unbeaten 35 from 25 balls before Libby (16) was run out off the final ball attempting a second run.
Worcestershire then bowled tightly in the powerplay, with Tom Taylor and Cobb both delivering two accurate overs, to restrict the total to 41-0.
Hayden Walsh became another Worcestershire injury victim when he left the pitch after fielding a delivery on the boundary.
The rate began to climb to above 12 runs an over and Lyth was pouched out cover off Brookes with 66 on the board in the 10th over.
Malan completed a 32 ball half century in an over costing 16 runs.
Brookes came back to end a cameo 24 off 12 balls from James Wharton as he picked out long off and in the same over Donovan Ferreira went after D’Oliveira backpedalled from’ cover.
Brookes had more joy when Masood found the hands of long off.
It was the Rapids last success as Thompson delivered a series of massive blows to see his side over the finishing line with three balls to spare.
He ended unbeaten on 40 from just 14 balls with four sixes.
Worcestershire all-rounder Ethan Brookes, who scored 44 and took four wickets, said: “We came up just short but that is the nature of this game. Obviously a few injuries at the start of the day (to Kashif Ali and Adam Hose) didn’t help.
“We would have taken that score at the start of the day and it was a really good score on that wicket but credit to Malan and then Thompson at the end to get Yorkshire over the line.
“Having a depleted bowling squad meant it was always going to be difficult. Missing overs from bowlers.
“Kashif and Adam are two massive players for us, very powerful hitters, but missing them, we will take 205.
“The message from the changing room is just go and express yourself. We are out of this competition now but there is still something to prove.
“That licence to just go and have fun, and go and enjoy, it shows through. It is disappointing but that’s cricket.
“I’m pleased with my batting. I‘ve got some starts. I know what I’m good at, I trust that. The reverse sweep is something I’ve practiced quite a lot and that’s paying off. It just messes with the spinners.”
