Taylor Cornall hit a century as Worcestershire Seconds pulled off a spectacular five-wicket win in the three-day encounter with Leeds Bradford UCCE at Kidderminster.
The Academy were sent a steep 361 target in 65 overs, and for long periods the game appeared to be heading for a draw despite an opening stand of 164 in 44.2 overs by Tom Fell (90) and Cornall.
The score stood on 233-4 in the 54th over, but then Cornall pressed his foot on the accelerator after completing a 177 ball hundred.
His next 45 runs came off only 14 balls, and he added 71 in 5.5 overs for the fifth wicket with Henry Cullen.
Cornall eventually holed out to long-on after striking five sixes and 11 fours.
But that was the cue for a scoring blitz from Ollie Walker of 45, not out from 15 deliveries with four sixes and three fours.
With Cullen, 28 not out off 18 balls, giving him valuable support, a superb win was achieved with eight balls to spare.
Leeds-Bradford batted first after an uncontested toss and totalled 326 in their first innings.
Ben Gibbon (22-5-57-2), Walker (12-3-35-2) and triallist Kashif Ali (11-0-56-2) picked up two wickets apiece.
Worcestershire Academy player Ben Parker, in his first year at University, picked up three early wickets.
Gareth Roderick made 58 from 91 balls with nine fours before he was fifth out at 107, and the remainder of the innings was dominated by Cullen.
He achieved his maiden half-century for the Seconds and went on to hit an unbeaten 85 from 108 balls with two sixes and 11 fours.
The home side declared 127 runs behind at 209-7, and then Leeds-Bradford closed day two on 75-2 after Josh Dickenson and Walker picked up a wicket apiece.
An excellent three-wicket burst this morning from Ed Bragg reduced the University to 105-5.
But Joe Pocklington’s unbeaten 51 from 35 balls enabled Leeds-Bradford to declare on 243-9 and set a stiff target.
Bragg ended with figures of 8-2-18-3 and Dickenson 12-1-57-2.
Fell survived two early chances when Worcestershire launched their reply, but he and Cornall flourished before the later fireworks.
