A nerve-jangling finish saw Khurram Shahzad hold his nerve in the final over of the match, with Worcestershire Rapids surviving a huge upset as they dodged defeat by the barest of margins to tie with Notts Outlaws in their opening game of the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Kashif Ali made an eye-catching 101 for the visitors after they were asked to bat first, as he led the recovery from 44-3 with skipper Jake Libby, in a fourth-wicket stand of 180, before Libby batted through the innings with absolute class, recording his fourth consecutive century in all formats, as he finished 112* in a re-adjusted total of 326-7.
With an above par score to defend, Ethan Brookes and Brett D’Oliveira combined to run through the hosts middle order, in a period where the pair took a combined 5-24, to help reduce the Outlaws to 145-7 with victory within touching distance.
A remarkable rearguard from the the Outlaws lower order saw them put on partnerships of 71 and 92 for the eighth and ninth wicket, with the hosts needing just four to win off the final over, during which Khurram Shahzad held his nerve and the Rapids missed a chance of a last ball run-out, settling for a tie.
Worcestershire arrived at the John Fretwell centre full of optimism ahead of their opening Metro Bank One Day Cup fixture against Notts Outlaws, with skipper Jake Libby sticking to his word at the toss, naming an experienced and balanced side.
Despite not playing in Tuesday’s warm-up fixture, Brett D’Oliveira, Kashif Ali, Ethan Brookes, Matthew Waite, Adam Finch and Khurram Singh were all named in the playing XI to take on the Outlaws, as Alan Richardson’s team lost the toss and were invited to bat first.
The start was far from ideal for the visitors, losing teenage prodigy Isaac Mohammed for just eight as he feathered a ball down the leg-side and was caught, while D’Oliveira was unable to kick on as he chipped one back to James Hayes, making his way off the pitch for a promising 22.
The early cloud cover and swinging white ball made run-scoring a challenge for the visitors, highlighted by Rob Jones’ dismissal when he was trapped LBW cheaply as the Rapids slid to 44-3.
It was then the turn of the in-form Jake Libby to join new man Kashif Ali, with the pair looking to add some stability and wrestle back some momentum from the hosts, with Kashif not hesitating to play with freedom through the covers as he took the driving seat in the partnership, that soon took the away side past 100 in the 21st over.
Kashif marched on, showing the dangerous signs all Worcestershire fans have come to love about the in-form batter as he made his way to a 58-ball-50, raising his bat whilst Libby continued to take stock at the other end.
With both batters moving through the gears, albeit at comparative rates, Worcestershire were guided past 150 with comfort in the 29th over, shortly before Libby raised his bat for a fourth consecutive innings, as his sensational run of form continued as he punished his former-employers.
Batting with poise and tempo, the skipper led from the front with total control.
Kashif soon brought the crowd to their feet as he registered his first-century of the year for Worcestershire, highlighting all of his quality in what had been a superbly paced innings from the number five, that lasted until the 37th over when he departed having added 180 with his captain for the fourth-wicket.
Ethan Brookes came and went, but all eyes were on Libby once again as he cantered to his fourth-consecutive century across all formats, acknowledging the crowd for his exquisite 86-ball-ton that included eight-fours and two-sixes.
He batted on as the Rapids moved past 300, in spite of losing Henry Cullen for a quick fire 27 and Matthew Waite in his efforts to launch his side further into the ascendency.
Libby finished unbeaten on 112, when the heavens opened and the players were led from the field, bringing a fine first innings to a close, as they set the Outlaws a re-adjusted 327 to win from 47-overs.
The hosts started with confidence during the reply, keeping up with the required rate as opening bowlers Khurram Shahzad and Matthew Waite searched for a breakthrough.
It was Waite who delivered for his side, in the sixth over of the contest, taking the prize scalp of Notts run-machine and captain Haseeb Hameed, who had shown early warning signs for the Rapids in the field, but even after his dismissal, the Outlaws continued to score at a comfortable rate.
With a second-wicket partnership worth fifty blossoming under brightening skies, it was essential the Worcestershire bowlers continued to make inroads into a Outlaws card that batted very deep.
Another standout performer with the ball throughout this season, Adam Finch, entered the fray and took another crucial scalp for his side, as he dug a short ball into the pitch that hurried Ben Slater, who could only chip a ball straight to the onlooking Ethan Brookes, who took a straightforward catch at midwicket.
From 84-2, the hosts showed signs of another revival, working their way past 120 inside 20 overs.
That was ended in emphatic style however, as Brookes did what he has become so reliable at doing for his side this year and impacted the game when in mattered most, as he took two-wickets in successive balls to flip the innings on it’s head.
The seamer removed Sam Seecharan (17) and Tom Moores (0) to send Notts 121-4, before skipper Brett D’Oliveira entered the fray and took the huge wicket of half-centurion Jack Haynes, for 51, as the home side spiralled to 129-5.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, the middle overs were proving to be a fruitful passage for the visitors, who were in the wickets yet again in the 23rd over, when D’Oliveira (2-44) had substitute fielder Ben Allison to thank for taking an athletic, diving catch on the long-off boundary, to remove the dangerous Daniel Sams before he could get going.
Brookes, 10-0-51-3, returned to take the seventh wicket of the innings, with Henry Cullen taking a smart reaction catch stood up to the stumps, as the Rapids bowlers tightened their grip on the contest with their opponents in real peril at 145-7.
An eighth wicket rearguard of 71 between Joe Pocklington and Rob Lord gave the home side a faint chance, but when Pocklington was caught off the bowling of Fateh Singh for a well-made 54, a Rapids victory looked a formality.
A ninth wicket stand of 92, led by a superb Rob Lord knock of 83, got the Outlaws to within 19 runs of victory, as the unthinkable seemed to be coming true for the Rapids, as visions of a handsome away win crumbled before them.
In a nail-biting finish, it went down to the very last over of the match, after Waite had taken a crucial wicket in the lead up to the final over, with Khurram defending just four-runs to avoid a simply unfathomable defeat.
The Pakistan star held his nerve, and with the hosts needing two runs to win off the final ball, the attempted run-out from Henry Cullen narrowly missed the stumps as the final pair scampered through for a bye, to tie the match and leave the Rapids wondering how on earth they found themselves in the position they did, after having total control of the game at the midway point.
Attentions now turn to Sunday, where the side travel to Essex and will look to stitch together the very good patches that were on display during Thursday’s tie, into a complete performance.
