A career best from Barry McCarthy of 4-31 and Tom Latham’s exceptional 78 from 49 balls was in vein as Worcestershire Rapids’ Ross Whiteley smashed 60 off 26 balls to hand the hosts a dramatic three wicket win over the Durham Jets in a Vitality Blast thriller at Blackfinch New Road.
Whiteley rescued a game which appeared to be heading in the Jets favour after Tom Latham’s impressive innings.
But Whiteley and then debutant Wayne Parnell turned the game in the Rapids favour and ended Durham’s five game winning streak.
Whiteley was eventually out in the final over, caught at long on off the first ball from Nathan Rimmington with 10 needed for victory.
He struck three sixes and seven fours – and then Parnell hit 4-2-4 off successive balls to see Worcestershire to their sixth win in nine games as they went one point clear of the Jets.
Durham were put into bat and Graham Clark struck three boundaries in the opening over from Luke Wood.
But after making 17 the opener went for a pull and miscued Pat Brown into the hands of Rapids skipper Moeen Ali backpedalling from mid off.
Liam Trevaskis failed to trouble the scorers before he fell to a fine low catch by Callum Ferguson at short mid wicket to give new overseas Wayne Parnell his first wicket for the Rapids on his debut.
Latham was full of attacking intent and greeted Moeen’s introduction into the attack with a straight six.
The New Zealander and Ryan Davies (23) added 67 in six overs until the latter holed out to long on off Brett D’Oliveira.
Latham went onto reach his half century from 37 balls with three sixes and three fours.
He found another able partner in Ryan Pringle who clouted D’Oliveira for two sixes in an over costing 19 runs.
Pringle helped Latham to put on 70 in six overs but after making 35 he fell victim to a stunning catch by Ross Whiteley, diving full length at long off, from the bowling of Brown.
Latham moved onto 78 but then pulled Moeen down Ed Barnard’s throat at deep mid wicket.
Worcestershire managed to check the Jets momentum in the final few overs.
Parnell bowled James Weighell (1) and finished with impressive figures of 4-0-22-2 on his debut and then Nathan Rimmington (2) was run out attempting a second run off Brown to Luke Wood at third man.
When Worcestershire launched their reply, they quickly lost opener Joe Clarke (5) who drove at James Weighell and nicked through to keeper Stuart Poynter.
Moeen went on the attack in Chris Rushworth’s second over with a six and two fours and also went 6-4-4 in a Rimmington over.
But the introduction of McCarthy into the attack brought a double breakthrough.
Moeen, having made 42 off 25 balls, perished at deep square leg and then four balls later D’Oliveira (1) was caught off a leading edge at cover.
Ben Cox (16) went for a reverse sweep and became McCarthy’s third victim as keeper Poynter held the chance.
Much depended on the returning Ferguson and on 39 he went for a big hit against Ben Whitehead and Trevaskis had a safe pair of hands at long on.
McCarthy ended with career best figures of 4-31 after Barnard (14) fell at short third man.
But then came the typical Whiteley power hitting before Parnell saw the Rapids over the finishing line.