WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids suffered a thrilling final ball defeat against Gloucestershire following victory against Glamorgan in the T20 Blast.
The Rapids needed four runs from the final delivery of the match only for Matt Taylor to bowl Adam Finch and seal a three-run win for Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium.
That came after Sikandar Raza fell just short of a half-century with the visitors all out for 145 in reply to the home side’s 148-8.
However, the Rapids cruised to a 27-run win against Glamorgan as a half-century from Adam Hose helped Worcestershire to a 27-run victory at New Road.
The home side posted 168-8 from their 20 overs and then bowled the visitors out for 141 with three balls remaining.
And the results mean Worcestershire sit fourth in the T20 Blast Central and West Group standings.
The Rapids suffered just their second defeat of the competition against Gloucestershire despite Tom Taylor (2-20) removing D’Arcy Short (0) with the third ball of the match.
Worcestershire restricted the home side to 29-3 before Ben Charlesworth (49) and Jack Taylor (26) combined for a 59-run fourth-wicket stand.
Usama Mir (1-36) broke up the partnership with the wicket of Taylor before Raza (1-19) claimed the crucial scalp of Charlesworth with the latter one run shy of a half-century.
A couple of wickets from Matthew Waite (2-33) limited Gloucestershire to 148-8 at the end of their 20 overs although late runs from Ollie Price (19), James Bracey (12) and Kamran Dhariwal (12) would prove crucial.
The Rapids made a costly start in replay as the visitors lost four wickets for just 28 runs as none of the away side’s top order managed double figures.
Hose (14) and Raza (47) came together for a 59-run fifth-wicket stand only for Duan Jansen (4-37) to remove Hose and break up the partnership.
Rapids wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick (23) fell at the start of the final over with Worcestershire in need of eight runs for victory.
T Taylor (14 not out) and Finch (2) edged the Rapids closer to the required total only for Ollie Price to take the winning catch as the game went down to the final ball.
Worcestershire are next in action against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Tuesday, June 9 with play to start at 6.30pm at the County Ground.
