Clare Boycott notched impressive figures of 3-24 with the ball to restrict Steelbacks to 140, but the Rapids batting line-up failed to fire, as the home side fell to a disappointing 39-run defeat.
Boycott and Bryony Gillgrass (2-18) impressed with the ball, and were supported by a high-energy performance in the field, restricting the visitors to 140 after 20 overs.
Despite a positive start from Gillgrass and Sanya Khurana with the bat, Worcestershire’s top order struggled to find any significant partnerships, with regular wickets seeing the home side end the powerplay 40-4.
Sophia Mitchell made a determined 29 to spark hope of a Rapids rebuild, but the remainder of the homeside’s batting card offered little resistance however, with Ed Wilson’s side fell to a disappointing 39-run defeat.
Captain Clare Boycott won the toss and elected for her side to bowl, as the Women’s Rapids took to the field at New Road for the first time this summer.
Opening the bowling for the homeside, Jess Beach and Caitlin Baker-Smith looked to build on Friday’s victory, as they restricted the Steelbacks to 38 in the opening powerplay; however, couldn’t quite find the opening breakthrough.
It wasn’t long until the Rapids claimed their first scalp, however, as Clare Boycott struck at the start of her second over, expertly bowling Gemma Marriott for 23.
With the visitors 67-1, Boycott claimed her second wicket of the match in the 11th over, pinning new batter Kemp in front for just four.
Leading from the front, Boycott acted as the catalyst for her side, as two further Steelbacks fell in quick succession.
It was Boycott who reacted sharply in the field to run out the dangerous Mabel Reid (35) off the bowling of Meg Bishop, before Bryony Gillgrass snagged the wicket of Ascott (2), helped by a stunning Tweats grab at deep mid-wicket.
The Gillgrass and Tweats combination proved fruitful once more in the 15th over, with Groves this time chipping into the grateful arms of Tweats and departing for 12.
With Rapids working themselves into a promising position with the visitors at 93-5, Presland asserted herself quickly at the crease to push Northants past 100.
Boycott capped off a superb spell with the ball, bowling Chloe Hill (17) in the 19th over to claim her third wicket, as Steelbacks closed on 140-6.
Flowing with confidence, openers Bryony Gillgrass and Sanya Khurana headed to the middle, with the former dispatching two boundaries from her very first two deliveries.
Looking to remain on the front foot, Gillgrass could only add another two to her total, however, before departing for 10 at the end of the first over.
At 25-1, the Rapids’ chase was then thrown into jeopardy at the beginning of the fourth over, as Sophie Beech (6) and Gwen Davies (0) fell to successive Ella Phillips deliveries.
Now joined by the protagonist of Friday’s win, Ebony-Jade Tweats, Sanya Khurana endeavoured to drive the Worcestershire chase forward, as she and Tweats struck cleanly whilst searching for gaps.
The pair came unstuck at the end of the sixth over, though, as Khurana (15) was caught off Phillips looking to go big over the leg side, before Tweats couldn’t emulate Friday’s heroics as she was bowled for nine.
At a precarious 45-5, Sophia Mitchell and Boycott came together in an attempt to rebuild the Rapids’ innings.
Mitchell looked positive, working off the front foot to push Worcestershire past the 50-run mark with a sweet stroke through mid-wicket for four.
Boycott too worked her way patiently into the game, combining well with Mitchell to rotate the strike as the homeside continued to chase down the Steelbacks’ total.
Unfortunately for the Rapids, the promising pair were split as Boycott (16) was caught and bowled looking to drive down the ground.
Now at 77-6, Worcestershire’s hopes of claiming back-to-back T20 Blast victories looked to be fading, with Bishop (2) and Baker-Smith (0) falling in successive overs.
Mitchell, now joined by Beach, remained stubborn at the crease, with the pair facing an uphill battle requiring 54 from the final four overs.
Having made a resolute 29, Mitchell was stumped in the 18th over, as the Rapids were condemned to a frustrating 39-run defeat, losing their final wicket in the same over.
