Worcestershire Seconds pulled off a dramatic three wicket victory with five balls to spare in the Second Eleven Championship clash with Northamptonshire Seconds at Kidderminster.
With five needed to win, Ben Twohig smashed the first ball of the final over from Simon Branston for six over long off. It sealed a second successive win in the competition for the Seconds after their triumph against Leicestershire at Oakham School in the opening game.
Northants had shown plenty of resilience throughout the final day after resuming on 21-2 – still 193 in arrears.
But a five wicket haul from paceman Chris Russell – plus another three wickets from Alex Willerton, led to them eventually being dismissed for 314.
That left Worcestershire a target of 101 in 14 overs and they scrambled over the finishing line to claim a maximum 24 points haul.
Northants were 119-5 at one stage but then Miles Richardson, who finished unbeaten on 84, and Branston (58) added 127 in 31 overs for the sixth wicket.
Branston, who survived one chance on 10, hit one six and eight fours in his 90 ball innings.
Richardson eventually ran out of partners after facing 164 deliveries and striking 14 boundaries.
Russell ended with fine figures of 5-97 from 29 overs and was rewarded for continuing to plug away while Willerton returned 3-75 to add to his four wickets in the first innings.
Worcestershire changed their batting order for the run chase with Tom Fell promoted to open alongside skipper George Rhodes and Alex Hepburn moving up to number three.
Hepburn made 21 off 12 balls to give the innings some early momentum and Zen Malik at number four made 22 off 16 balls.
Moin Ashraf and Branston bowled throughout but Twohig prompted scenes of celebration from the home players with his six-hitting conclusion to a thrilling days cricket.
NORTHANTS – SECOND INNS CONTINUED
(overnight 21-2)
Munsey c Shafique b Willerton 33
Murphy b Russell 54
Paternott lbw Russell 10
Richardson not out 84
Branston c Hepburn b Twohig 58
Jakeman c Rhodes b Russell 2
Finan st Shafique b Malik 10
Taylor b Russell 14
Ashraf b Willerton 1
Extras 33
Total (all out) 314 in 88.5 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 89, 118, 119, 246, 253, 285, 313, 314
BOWLING
Russell 29-5-97-5
Willerton 17.5-1-75-3
Hepburn 12-3-34-0
Twohig 22-6-56-1
Malik 8-1-27-1
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – SECOND INNS
Rhodes b Branston 4
Fell b Ashraf 11
Hepburn c Jakeman b Branston 21
Malik b Ashraf 22
Shafique b Branston 6
B Kohler-Cadmore b Ashraf 11
Westbury c Murphy b Branston 9
Twohig not out 12
Russell not out 2
Extras 4
Total (for 7 wickets) 102 in 13.1 overs
FOW: 5, 25, 37, 49, 62, 79, 89
BOWLING
Ashraf 7-0-58-3
Branston 6.1-0-42-4
