A SUPERB unbeaten 42 from Ben Cox guided Worcestershire Rapids to a thrilling three-wicket win with just three balls left against Northamptonshire Steelbacks in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Cox, who also held three catches, struck six boundaries and a six to propel Rapids back to the top of the North Group.

Fifty from Ben Duckett, who was dropped by Jack Shantry and Brett D’Oliveira, led Steelbacks to a challenging 169-7 at New Road.

However, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (60) and Cox kept Rapids in the hunt after they slipped to 20-3 before the wicketkeeper took the hosts to a dramatic win.

With Daryl Mitchell ruled out through injury, stand-in skipper Joe Leach was the pick of Rapids’ attack, claiming 3-26.

Leach bagged the first Steelbacks wicket with his third ball, enticing Adam Rossington (2) into an expansive drive he edged to Cox.

Josh Cobb chased a wide delivery from Chris Russell and was caught by Cox for 23 as the visitors reached 48-2 at the end of the powerplay.

A superb diving catch from Cox removed Alex Wakely (20) off Ed Barnard but, crucially, Shantry spilled a sitter at short third man when Duckett was on six.

Duckett hammered successive sixes in D’Oliveira’s first over as Steelbacks progressed to 74-3 at halfway.

Alexei Kerzevee held a smart catch at deep square leg off George Rhodes to remove Steven Crook (13) but D’Oliveira then put down Duckett at cover on 28.

Ross Whiteley held Seekuge Prasanna (2) on the deep mid-wicket boundary off D’Oliveira to reduce the visitors to 95-5 in the 13th over.

Duckett blazed Russell over mid-wicket for six to bring up his half-century from just 34 balls.

Shantry took a one-handed leaping catch off Leach at mid-off to remove Keogh (22) and the Duckett’s off-stump was uprooted in the same over.

Graeme White kept up the visitors’ momentum, blasting Shantry for three successive sixes in Steelbacks’ penultimate over, which yielded 22 runs.

Leach opened Rapids’ innings, blazing 11 before being caught at point by Keogh off Ben Sanderson from the last ball of the first over.

Joe Clarke (1) top-edged Muhammad Azharullah to Adam Rossington and Kervezee (0) holed out to Duckett as Rapids slumped to 20-3.

D’Oliveira, on 16, was dropped at short fine leg by Azharuallah, and swatted a short ball from Crook into the trees at square leg.

D’Oliveira (37) and Kohler-Cadmore guided Rapids to 89-3 after 10 overs before the former fell to a one-handed catch by Keogh off Sanderson.

A single from Whiteley (8) brought up Rapids’ 100 after 12 overs but when he was bowled by Seekkuge Prasanna Steelbacks looked to have gained the upper hand.

A tidy over from Azharullah kept Rapids pegged back before a reverse sweep for four by Cox gave the hosts renewed hope.

However, Kohler-Cadmore was caught on the long-off boundary by Keogh off Sanderson (3-34) to break the stand.

George Rhodes (1) fell to Crook but Cox swept the next ball for six and then clubbed a boundary as Rapids required nine runs off the last over.

Cox reverse-paddled the first delivery from Azharullah for four and then belted the next ball through square leg to level the scores.

He fittingly hit the winning run off the third ball to seal a remarkable Rapids victory in gathering gloom.