Worcestershire Rapids came within one-wicket of a comeback for the ages, as they fell just short in a pulsating derby date with the Bears at Edgbaston that went down to the last-over.
Losing three wickets inside the first six overs damaged the visitors chances of posting an imposing score, with plenty of batters getting starts, but nobody kicking on in a total of 134 all-out.
On the backfoot from the outset in the field, the Rapids had Fateh Singh (3-18) to thank, as he inspired a mid-innings revival, with the away side taking four wickets for 15 runs in a chaotic three-over period.
As the game edged towards a thrilling climax, the Rapids headed into the final over of the contest defending three runs, which ultimately proved too big a task, as the Bears snatched a nail-biting one-wicket win.
The Rapids travelled to face the Bears on Friday night, set for a blockbuster showdown, fuelled by their midweek win over Durham.
Naming an unchanged side, Captain Adam Hose lost the toss and was invited to bat first on a sun-soaked evening at a suitably packed Edgbaston.
The Rapids shuffled their pack, as Kashif Ali was promoted up the order to open the batting, partnering 17-year-old starlet Isaac Mohammed.
The away side got just the start they were after, as the openers blitzed the Bears bowlers in the early exchanges, with a blend of power and creativity that saw the Rapids race to 39 inside three overs.
The trend of losing early wickets in the powerplay continued however, as within three balls both Isaac (19) and Jake Libby (0) were dismissed, hauling the Rapids early progress.
The home side turned to veteran Danny Briggs in hope of some extended success, which he duly provided when Kashif Ali got himself in a tangle, seeing the ball bounce off his gloves, onto his chest before falling onto the stumps, being forced to depart in the most unfortunate fashion.
Ethan Brookes came to join Hose at 43-3, as the pair found themselves in a familiar position, looking to rescue a potentially hazardous position for their side.
The former Bears pair added 31 for the fourth wicket, with Hose beginning to show signs of breaking the shackles, before he mistimed a clip off his pads straight to the duly obliging, Ed Barnard, for 25.
The slide continued soon after as Roderick (2) was caught behind in acrobatic fashion, as the Rapids reached the halfway stage, 84-5.
Brookes (10) looked to manoeuvre the ball over extra-cover but could only succeed in finding the fielder on the ring, before Tom Taylor fell soon after.
Ben Dwarshuis (26) hit three consecutive sixes, before his vital but short-lived cameo came to an end in the 16th over as the Rapids stuttered.
Fateh Singh and Jacob Duffy both fell in the dying embers of the innings, as the Rapids were bowled out for 134, a score that would take some defending.
The Bears wasted no time getting going in reply, going at ten-an-over, until Dwarshuis removed Kiwi Tom Latham, in the fourth over.
Alex Davies, rocketed along to 42 off 24 balls, with all the momentum behind the home side, before Fateh Singh claimed his first scalp of the evening.
With the required run-rate dropping as low as fives, Worcestershire’s only way back into the match was by taking wickets and building some pressure.
In a stunning three-over spell, the Rapids took four wickets for just 15 runs, as the game was flipped on his head.
Jacob Duffy started proceedings as he had the dangerous Dan Mousley (12) caught down the ground, before Dwarshuis returned and saw the back of Moeen Ali for just four.
The ever-impressive Fateh Singh returned, and once again highlighted his importance to the Rapids, continuing the visitor’s comeback with two-wickets in two balls, as Ed Barnard and Kai Smith departed in successive deliveries.
With the Bears 86-6, Sam Hain was the not-out batter who those in Rapids colours knew was the prize wicket that likely stood between the away side and victory.
He batted with poise, in a seventh wicket stand worth 25, before Isaac Mohammed produced a moment of genius in the field off Duffy’s bowling, taking a stunning catch at point, when George Garton looked to have pierced the infield, only to be brought to a standstill by the world-class catch.
With three overs remaining and the match already on a knife edge, things took another twist, when the Rapids reduced their opponents to 119-8, as Matthew Waite had Danny Briggs caught at mid-off by Tom Taylor, leaving the Rapids 14 to defend off the final two overs, with two wickets between them and a famous victory.
Hasan Ali looked to have got his side home and hoses with back-to-back boundaries in the 19th over, before he held out to Jake Libby at deep extra cover, who took a tremendous catch under pressure, with the home side requiring three to win and one-wicket in hand.
With a narrow run-out chance missed on the second ball of the over, Hain nudged the winning runs through midwicket as the Rapids fell to an agonising one-wicket defeat.
