Worcestershire could seal a place in the semi-finals of the Second Eleven Trophy IF they defeat Lancashire at Barnt Green on Monday and other results go their way.
The County are still well placed to book a spot in the last four despite going down by 81 runs to Durham Seconds at Hartlepool today.
Worcestershire will be sure of a top two position should they overcome the Red Rose County and then fourth placed Durham fail to overcome Northamptonshire at Chester Le Street on the same day.
Nearest rivals Warwickshire and Yorkshire are two points behind Worcestershire with a game in hand but they meet at Edgbaston – also on Monday – and so one of them must drop points.
Durham totalled 284-5 from their 50 overs after electing to bat.
Grant Thornton made the first breakthrough for the visitors as Michael Jones was caught behind but then Liam Trevaskis (71 off 99 balls with one six and seven fours) and skipper Gareth Harte (74 from 80 balls with nine fours) added 110 in 23 overs for the second wicket.
George Rhodes broke the stand when Trevaskis was caught at long off by Adam Wiffen and then Harte was bowled by England Under-19 paceman Adam Finch.
Rhodes struck for the second time when he trapped Ross Greenwell lbw and he finished with fine figures of 10-0-39-2.
But home keeper Ryan Davies struck a run a ball 56 and added 71 with Scott Steel (47 not out) before he was run out by Rhodes’ throw from long on.
Worcestershire reached 51-1 from 10 overs in reply but then lost three wickets at that total and another at 74 with Harte doing most of the damage and Davies picking up four catches behind the stumps.
Josh Dell held the remainder of the innings together and Ben Twohig brought some impetus by making 45 off 35 balls with two sixes and three fours during a stand of 81 in 11 overs for the seventh wicket.
But the spinner was eventually lbw to Josh Coughlin and then Dell, having made 60 off 84 deliveries with one six and three fours, was caught at long on by Chris McBride off Harte who finished with 4-13 from seven overs.
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DURHAM SECONDS
Trevaskis c Wiffen b Rhodes 71
Jones c Milton b Thornton 8
Harte b Finch 74
Davies run out (Rhodes) 56
Greenwell lbw Rhodes 3
Steel not out 47
McBride not out 1
Extras 24
Total (for 5 wickets) 284 in 50 overs
FOW: 40, 150, 186, 205, 276
BOWLING
Russell 6-0-44-0
Finch 10-0-59-1
Thornton 8-0-35-1
Rhodes 10-0-39-2
Twohig 10-0-63-0
Gilmour 3-0-27-0
Malik 3-0-15-0
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WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS
Rhodes b Harte 15
Westbury c Davies b McCarthy 6
Malik c Davies b Main 18
Milton c Davies b Harte 9
Wiffen c Davies b Harte 0
Dell c McBride b Harte 60
Gilmour b Whitehead 17
Twohig lbw Coughlin 45
Finch run out 3
Thornton b Whitehead 2
Russell not out 3
Extras 25
Total (all out) 203 in 42.5 overs
FOW: 18, 51, 51, 51, 74, 103, 184, 188, 197, 203
BOWLING
McCarthy 4-0-33-1
Coughlin 8-0-30-1
Main 7-1-38-1
Harte 7-1-13-4
Trevaskis 9-1-47-0
Whitehead 5.5-0-25-2
Steel 2-0-16-0
