Worcestershire U18s secured a nail-biting four-run win over rivals Warwickshire in the County Cup quarter-final to progress to the last four of the competition.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Joe Harrison made a composed start to the match after the early loss of skipper Flynn Gunston.
Harrison and Fin Goodman recovered well to add 67 for the third wicket, before Harrison was dismissed for a well-made 48 off 55 balls.
It was Goodman, who anchored proceedings for his side, batting with maturity and tempo as he and Henry Hawes took their side past 150, shortly before Hawes was removed for 15.
Goodman remained however and batted on without a long-standing partner, bring up a tremendous century in just 114 balls.
He departed with Worcestershire 230-7 in the 45th over of the match, with some short lower order cameos eventually dragging the hosts up to 260-9 at the halfway point in the contest.
Things looked ominous for the Pears youngsters in their defence of the modest total, as Warwickshire navigated their way to 117 just two-wickets down, with Jeet Varaich and Josh Leach making the only inroads.
Assad Azami (1-54) took the third scalp for his side, before Leach struck soon after with his second as Warwickshire stuttered to 124-4.
The visitors hit back and added 53 more for the fifth wicket and looked to be going well, but it was once again Leach who came back the stronger, picking up his third wicket on his way to figures of 3-27 from his ten-overs.
Ben Jones and Henry Hawes both came back with intent to take a wicket apiece as things headed for a tense finish, with the away side now 231-7, requiring 30 to win from the remaining four-overs.
In fitting style, it was Hawes who took the crucial eighth wicket, as Worcestershire closed in on victory, but it was not confirmed until the last ball of the contes, with Hawes holding his nerve in admirable fashion to defend the four-runs required, as Worcestershire were sent into pandemonium.
The U18s memorable victory now means they will face off against Yorkshire in the County Cup semi-final, at Leeds, on Sunday 10th August.
