Another Ferguson hundred continues inspirational start

Worcestershire 348 for 5 (Ferguson 159*, Clarke 122) beat Northants 314 (Rossington 63, Newton 61, Keogh 51) by 34 runs
Scorecard

Worcestershire Rapids took a sizeable step towards the Royal London One-Day Cup knockout stages as centurions Joe Clarke and Callum Ferguson powered them to a 34 run success over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Blackfinch New Road.

The pair plundered 239 runs in 37 overs for the second wicket as the Rapids amassed 348 for 5 in their 50 overs.

Then Northamptonshire, despite half centuries from Rob Newton, Adam Rossington and Rob Keogh, were bowled out for 314 in the final over as the Rapids secured a fifth win in seven games and ended the North Group with a 100 per cent home record from the four matches at their headquarters.

Victory moved the Rapids level on points with leaders Warwickshire who they meet in a crunch derby encounter under the Edgbaston floodlights on Thursday.

Ferguson is having a start to remember for his adopted county as the Australian batsman followed his record-breaking 191 against Leicestershire Foxes with an unbeaten 159.

Worcestershire elected to bat on what was the same wicket used for the highest successful run chase in English one-day cricket against Leicestershire on Tuesday.

England all-rounder Moeen Ali was bowled for a second ball duck by Ben Sanderson, but the visitors had to wait another 37 overs for their next success as Clarke and Ferguson dominated proceedings with the bat.

It was the county's highest second wicket partnership in List A cricket, surpassing the 208 by Vikram Solanki and Phil Hughes against Lancashire at Old Trafford in 2012.

England Lions batsman Clarke and then Ferguson in turn went past Worcestershire's previous best individual List A score versus Northamptonshire - 120 by Graeme Hick at Northampton in 2007.

Clarke reeled off a succession of fine drives and went to his fourth List A century from 105 balls with a hook for four off Rory Kleinveldt. It included one six and eight other boundaries.

Ferguson soon followed him to three figures in four balls less than Clarke with the aid of 10 fours and he celebrated by twice lofting Sanderson for straight sixes.

The stand was finally broken when Clarke (122 off 117 balls with one six and 12 fours) holed out to deep mid wicket off spinner Graeme White and in the same over he accounted for Ross Whiteley lbw for a duck.

But Ferguson continued to score freely and was given excellent late order support by Ben Cox (39) and Brett D'Oliveira (22).

The 33-year-old left the field to his second standing ovation in five days after plundering three sixes and 13 fours from 136 balls.

Northamptonshire List A debutant Ricardo Vasconcelos clipped Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach to mid wicket with 34 on the board. Newton and Ben Duckett scored freely in a second wicket stand of 79 in 12 overs with the former pulling Pat Brown over mid wicket for six to reach his half century from 45 balls.

But Moeen made a crucial breakthrough when Duckett went for a reverse sweep and top edged a catch to keeper Cox.

Then Newton, after making a run a ball 61 with two sixes and six fours, aimed a pull at Brown and also perished at mid wicket. Skipper Alex Wakely (40) and Rossington (63) kept the Steelbacks hopes alive when adding 95 in 12 overs

But three quickfire wickets swung the game decisively in the Rapids' favour. Ed Barnard bowled Wakely and had Rory Kleinveldt caught off a skier at point while in between Rossington miscued D'Oliveira into the hands of Leach running back from cover.

Saif Zaib and Graeme White perished as the run rate rocketed and in the final over Keogh (51) and Nathan Buck holed out on the boundary off Charlie Morris.