Worcestershire Seconds were edged out by two wickets off the final delivery in the first of two T20 clashes with Northamptonshire Seconds at New Road.
Northants scrambled two byes off the final delivery from Worcestershire paceman Chris Russell to reach their 140 target.
The visitors then won the second match between the two counties by 22 runs.
Tom Fell made his comeback for Worcestershire Seconds in his first appearances for them since being given the all clear in his battle against cancer in the lymph nodes.
The action took place on the same wicket as Friday's NatWest T20 Blast contest between Worcestershire Rapids and Durham Jets.
In game one, Fell opened the batting and scored 27 off 21 balls with three boundaries.
He figured in a second wicket stand of 67 with Seconds skipper George Rhodes who top-scored with 31 from 30 deliveries with four fours.
Worcestershire closed their innings on 139-9 with Simon Branston finishing with 3-24 from his four overs.
Russell made an early breakthrough in dismissing George Munsey and spinner Ben Twohig chipped in with the wickets of the experienced Josh Cobb and Graeme White.
Northants were 91-6 before Sam Arthurton (23) and Simon Branston (20) added 42 for the seventh wicket.
Russell ran out Branston at the non striker's end after fielding off his own bowling and then had Arthurton caught behind – both in the final over – but the visitors edged home.
The two sides then went head to head for a secnd time and this time Northants triumphed thanks mainly to the efforts of Josh Cobb.
Northants elected to bat after winning the toss and Cobb, who came in at number three, ended unbeaten on 71 out of his side's 163-7.
He struck eight boundaries in his 57 balls knock and shared in a second wicket stand of 70 with George Munsey.
Russell and Twohig were the most successful and economical bowlers for Worcestershire with 2-24 and 2-25 respectively from their four over stints.
Academy player Zen Malik made a breezy 45 from 35 balls with four fours when opening for the home team who looked well in contention at 84-2.
But six wickets fell for 27 runs with Alex Hepburn (31) and Russell, with a last gasp 26 off 12 balls, the only other sizeable contributors as Worcestershire closed on 141-9.
Cobb followed up his knock with 2-25 and Graeme White 3-23.
GAME ONE
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS
Fell lbw White 27
Malik c White b Cobb 4
Rhodes c Ali b Branston 31
Hepburn b White 9
Shafique c Ali b Zaib 15
Twohig b Cobb 9
Westbury c Murphy b Zaib 0
N Hammond c Finan b Branston 22
Russell c Munsey b Branston 1
Sutton not out 4
Extras 17
Total (for 9 wickets) 139
FOW: 5, 72, 76, 99, 101, 106, 116, 120, 139
BOWLING
Cobb 4-0-17-2
Richardson 1-0-7-0
Ali 3-0-20-0
Finan 2-0-24-0
White 4-0-22-2
Branston 4-0-24-3
Zaib 2-0-12-2
———————————————————————–
NORTHANTS SECONDS
Munsey c Wilkinson b Russell 6
Paternott b Hepburn 25
Cobb c and b Twohig 12
White c Wilkinson b Twohig 18
Murphy lbw Fell 14
Zaib c Twohig b Hepburn 14
Arthurton c Shafique b Russell 23
Branston run out 20
Richardson not out 4
Finan not out 1
Extras 5
Total (for 8 wickets) 140
FOW: 10, 37, 59, 64, 78, 91, 133, 138
BOWLING
Russell 4-0-19-2
Sutton 4-0-28-0
Hepburn 4-0-27-2
Wilkinson 3-0-20-0
Twohig 4-0-35-2
Fell 1-0-9-1
————————————————————————————
GAME TWO
NORTHANTS SECONDS
Munsey c Wilkinson b Twohig 34
Paternott c Twohig b Russell 0
Cobb not out 71
Murphy run out 1
White c Hepburn b Twohig 7
Zaib c Wilkinson b Malik 19
Kendall b Russell 21
Branston c Russell b Sutton 0
Richardson not out 1
Extras 9
Total (for 7 wickets) 163
FOW: 1, 71, 74, 84, 110, 148, 150
BOWLING
Russell 4-0-24-2
Sutton 2-0-20-1
Wilkinson 4-0-39-0
Hepburn 4-0-30-0
Twohig 4-0-25-2
Malik 2-0-23-1
——————————————————————————
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS
Fell c Munsey b Ali 2
Malik c Cobb b Branston 45
Rhodes b Finan 14
Hepburn b Cobb 31
Shafique st Kendall b White 2
Twohig b White 2
N Hammond c and b White 0
Westbury c Munsey b Cobb 7
Russell c Ali b Murphy 26
Sutton not out 5
Extras 7
Total (for 7 wickets) 141
FOW: 9, 45, 84, 89, 97, 97, 110, 111, 141
BOWLING
Ali 2-0-11-1
Richardson 2-0-14-0
Finan 2-0-19-1
Cobb 4-0-25-2
White 4-0-23-3
Branston 3-0-18-1
Zaib 2-0-12-0
Murphy 1-0-18-1
