SIKANDAR Raza and Brett D’Oliveira inspired Worcestershire Rapids to a 36-run victory defending champions Somerset in the T20 Blast.
Raza and D’Oliveira starred with the bat as the Rapids posted 180-5 from their 20 overs at New Road.
And Worcestershire restricted Somerset to 144-9 in reply as Matthew Waite and Usama Mir took three wickets apiece.
That came after the Rapids suffered a heavy 59-run defeat against rivals Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston.
Zen Mailk fell one run short of a century for the Bears while Beau Webster hit 13 boundaries on his way to a half-century as the home side closed on 224 all out.
And the Rapids could only manager 165-7 in reply as the Bears exacted revenge on Worcestershire following victory for Alan Richardson’s side at New Road last month.
The results mean Worcestershire sit fourth in the T20 Blast Central and West Group standings.
Rapids power to victory against champions
Somerset put the Rapids into bat as opener Isaac Mohammed (34) scored eight boundaries in a solid innings.
Further runs from Gareth Roderick (29) boosted the home side’s total before Raza (42) and D’Oliveira (41 not out) combined for a 58-run fifth-wicket stand.
The Rapids closed on 180-5 as Daniel Sams (2-29) took two wickets while Riley Meredith (1-45) accounted for Raza.
Worcestershire took a couple of early wickets with the ball as Tom Taylor (1-24) removed Will Smeed (15) and Ben Allison (2-26) claimed the scalp of Somerset captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore (1).
Opener Tom Banton (30) and James Rew (36) looked to rebuild the innings only for Waite (3-23) to remove the latter.
And Mir (3-34) then accounted for Banton and Thomas Rew (1) in the same over to leave the visitors in trouble on 87-5 at the end of the 12th over.
A burst from Craig Overton (26) boosted Somerset’s total but the Rapids took regular wickets to ease to a 36-run success.
Bears too strong for Rapids in derby clash
The Rapids won the toss and decided to bowl as Bears opener Rob Yates (0) fell in the first over of the match.
However, Malik (99) and Webster (79) combined for a stunning 177-run second-wicket stand as the pair punished the Worcestershire attack.
Malik hit 11 fours and five sixes while Webster found the rope 10 times and hit three maximums in a 44-ball innings.
Opener Malik departed one run short of a maiden T20 century as Waite (2-50) broke up the partnership while Allison ran out Webster.
Only Jordan Thompson (15) and Kai Smith (15) managed double figures from Warwickshire’s remaining batters with the Bears all out for 224.
However, Worcestershire struggled with the bat in reply as the Bears took wickets at regular intervals.
Webster (1-18) bowled opener Mohammed (18) before Richard Gleeson (2-42) accounted for Kashif Ali (22).
Thompson (1-21) then trapped Roderick (17) LBW while Usman Tariq (1-24) bowled Raza (12) to leave the Rapids in trouble on 68-4 in the 10th over.
And Dan Mousley (1-20) accounted for D’Oliveira (3) before Adam Hose (49) and Waite (39 not out) showed resistance with the bat.
Hose fell one run short of a half-century as Gleeson claimed his second scalp while Chris Woakes (1-39) took the wicket of Mir (3) in the final over.
Worcestershire continue their T20 Blast campaign against Kent on Friday, July 3 with play to begin at 5.30pm at New Road.
