ETHAN Brookes hit the fastest-ever Worcestershire Rapids T20 50 as the side secured victory over Notts Outlaws to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.
Brookes inspired the side to a 45-run win, hitting 57 off 20 balls and taking 3-30 with the ball to ensure the win in the side's final group game.
They will be forced to wait on other results to learn whether they have secured a place in this season's Vitality Blast quarter-finals.
Knowing only a win would do to keep their hopes of qualification alive, Worcestershire lost the toss and were asked to bat first at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
Brett D'Oliveira and youngster Isaac Mohammed started well, with Mohammed in fine form, blitzing 27 from 15 balls, before being caught out deep and dismissed.
The Rapids ended the powerplay with a positive 61-1.
New introduction Kashif Ali came on and wasted no time, as he partnered with D'Oliveira to put on 62 for the second within just under six overs.
Ali's cameo was ended for 34 as last month's PCA player of the month Adam Hose joined the side's skipper.
D'Oliveira was unfortunate to fall four runs short of 50 when he was caught short, being replaced by Ethan Brookes.
The 150 was raised for Worcestershire in the 16th over. Brookes continued his outstanding form of late, combining with Hose in a devastating 26-ball 50 partnership, as the 17th and 18th overs both went for 17 runs.
Hose fell for 33 in the penultimate over, before Brookes celebrated his lightning 18-ball-50 by hitting it out of the ground over the Basil D'Oliveira stand.
Brookes left to a standing ovation when he departed for 57, having hit five-fours and five-sixes at a strike rate of 275.
The Rapids finished on 206-7.
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With the ball, the side did not let up. Khurram Shahzad and Tom Taylor both struck inside the opening three overs, leaving the Outlaws at 14-2.
Shahzad took his second wicket of the occasion soon after, as he saw former Rapid Joe Clarke caught out by Ben Gibbon.
The scintillating Ethan Brookes maintained the momentum, taking the wicket of Moises Henriques with his first-ball, through a catch from D'Oliveira at cover - leaving the Outlaws at 49-4 in the eighth over.
Matt Montgomery provided the visitors a saving hope, producing a fantastic middle-order display to take the momentum back and fire his side to 110-4 in the 11th over.
Allison returned to dismiss him for 47, before Brookes took a further two wickets in two balls, returning figures of 3-30 from his four overs.
Allison picked up his second wicket of the contest, leaving the Outlaws requiring over 13-an-over, with two wickets in hand.
Taylor took Rapids' final wicket on the day in the 17th over, handing the side a comfortable 45-run win.
The Rapids will now await their qualification fate to see whether or not they have earned a place in the competition's quarter-finals.
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