Worcestershire CCC’s thrilling three-wicket win over Kent Spitfires at New Road was the latest in a series of memorable run chases by the Rapids in the eight years of the Royal London One-Day Cup.
The competition certainly brings the best out of the Rapids when it comes to overcoming daunting targets.
In 2014 – the first year that Royal London were competition sponsors – the Rapids chased down what was then their highest score to win a 50 over match against Lancashire Lightning at New Road.
Lancashire totalled 304-7, but it was overhauled with 13 balls to spare thanks to 88 from Daryl Mitchell, 74 from Tom Fell and an unbeaten 63 from Alexei Kervezee.
Four years later, the Rapids completed the highest ever successful run chase by any county in one-day cricket against Leicestershire at New Road.
Four half-centuries enabled Leicestershire to post an imposing 376-4 – their own highest List A score against first-class opposition.
But Callum Ferguson had a debut for the Rapids to remember with his 192 off 143 balls, with five sixes and 21 fours.
It was the Rapids highest ever individual List A score, beating Tom Moody’s 180 against Surrey in the 1994 semi-final against Surrey at The Oval.
Half-centuries from Mitchell, Brett D’Oliveira and Joe Clarke provided sterling support for Ferguson, and the Rapids had 16 balls to spare.
It produced the highest match run aggregate in a List A match involving Worcestershire – 756-8 off 97.2 overs.
The following season the Rapids and Ferguson produced another magnificent performance against Derbyshire at Derby after being set a 352 target.
This time Australian batsman Ferguson was there at the winning post, with 103 not out from 95 balls with four sixes and seven fours, as the Rapids won by four wickets in 48.2 overs.
