Worcestershire Rapids superb run in the Metro Bank One Day Cup came to an end despite another brilliant knock from captain Jake Libby as they went down by four wickets to Warwickshire in an exciting quarter-final at Edgbaston.
Libby was again in supreme form in passing the fifty mark for the sixth time in the competition on his way to a superb century.
He has a massive 526 runs in the 2024 tournament at an average of 105.20 as Worcestershire totalled 286-9 after being put into bat.
But there were other important contributions to ensure Worcestershire posted a competitive total on a slow but flat pitch.
Ed Pollock’s half century gave them a flying start and lifted his own competition run tally to an impressive 387.
Ethan Brookes, Tom Taylor and Fateh Singh also provided excellent support for Libby down the order.
The Rapids then maintained their knack of picking up early wickets with Taylor and Harry Darley striking with the new ball and Jack Home again making a quickfire breakthrough with the prized wicket of in form Ed Barnard.
A superb piece of fielding from Ethan Brookes then reduced Warwickshire to 54-4.
But, from 77-5, 19-year-old centurion Kia Smith and the experienced Will Rhodes revived Warwickshire’s fortunes with a superb partnership of 181 which proved decisive in steering their side to victory.
Smith went onto make an unbeaten 130 and hit the winning runs off the final ball of the 49th over.
But the Rapids can take massive pride from their performance in the 50 over tournament after being decimated by injuries.
Their remaining fit senior players and the young and experienced players brought into the squad did themselves and the County proud in qualifying for the knockout stages.
Worcestershire welcomed back batter Adam Hose after his involvement in The Hundred with Northern Superchargers.
Hose, Taylor and Jack Home returned to the side in place of Josh Cobb, Hishaam Khan and Tom Sturgess.
Worcestershire were put into bat and were given a steady start by openers Pollock and Gareth Roderick.
Pollock collected the first boundary when he cut Oliver Hannon-Dalby who shared the new ball with former Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard.
Roderick looked in good nick, turning Barnard and Hannon-Dalby off his legs for fours and straight driving the latter to the ropes.
The first wicket pair had put on 38 when Michael Rae trapped Roderick (16) lbw after he tried to work to leg in the final over of the initial powerplay.
But the keeper-batter had time to lift his run tally to 405 this summer before his dismissal.
Barnard bowled a testing spell and in the next over Rob Jones (0) nicked a delivery which left him and was caught behind.
The 50 came up in 12.4 overs and Pollock continued to find the boundary and collected two in an over from Rae.
He reached an excellent half century off 54 balls out of 86-2 in the 19th over when he cover drove Michael Booth for his ninth four.
But on 54 Pollock’s knock ended when he sliced a catch to point off spinner Jake Lintott.
He added 58 with Libby who instantly again looked in prime form and he on drove and pulled Booth for successive boundaries.
Hose (13) was caught at cover off Booth but Libby went onto complete his half century from 67 balls.
He greeted Barnard’s return into the attack with a six over mid-wicket and Brookes gave him good support in a stand of 61.
The Rapids reached 194-4 with 10 overs remaining before Brookes (21) departed after attempting to pull Rae and being caught behind down the legside.
But Taylor sustained the momentum by smashing 28 off just 18 balls, including a maximum over long on off Rae, before he went lbw reverse sweeping
Libby completed his splendid century with a single to fine leg off Booth and he went onto make 112 before falling on the cover boundary to Hannon-Dalby.
Singh (16) struck some lusty blows before he was run out in the final over attempting a second run shortly after Tom Hinley (8) had lofted Rae to long on in the same over.
Harley Darley shared the new ball with Taylor and the youngster struck in his first over when Warwickshire launched their reply.
Theo Wylie (11) aimed a big blow down the ground but could only sky a catch to Taylor at mid-off.
It became 14-2 when former Worcestershire Academy player Zen Malik (1) pushed forward and was bowled by a delivery angled back in by Taylor.
Barnard and Rhodes attempted to rebuild the Warwickshire innings and the 50 came up in the 13th over.
But Home’s knack of picking up crucial wickets again emerged as Barnard (29) chipped a delivery to Pollock at mid wicket.
There was another breakthrough in the same over as Michael Burgess (4) was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from Brookes.
He played Home to backward point and set off for a single but Brookes made a superb stop to his right and then hit the stumps with a direct hit as Burgess tried in vain to regain his ground.
Brookes played his part with the ball as Chris Benjamin attempted a cut and nicked through to Roderick
Worcestershire were then in command but Smith played aggressively in dominating a sixth wicket partnership with Rhodes.
He completed a 52 ball half century with one six and six fours and then brought up the 100 stand from 108 balls with a huge six over mid-wicket.
Libby rang the changes to his attack in attempting to initiate a breakthrough as the 200 came up in the 40th over to leave 84 required off the final 10.
Smith completed a fine century with a single off Singh before Hinley broke the stand with Brookes again sparkling in the field.
Rhodes (75) fell to a fine catch by Brookes over his shoulder at full stretch running back from extra cover at 258-6 in the 46th over but Smith saw Warwickshire to victory.
