WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids made it two wins in 24 hours as they triumphed by four runs against local rivals Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast at a packed Blackfinch New Road.

Bears' Sam Hain followed up his excellent Tri-Series for England Lions with 70 off 44 balls.

But Rapids' total of 192-7 was just beyond Hain and Bears as skipper Brett D’Oliveira’s side followed up Thursday's last-over win over Lancashire Lightning at Emirates Old Trafford with another impressive performance.

Pat Brown and Ed Barnard picked up three wickets apiece for Rapids.

But a last-wicket stand of 36 between Tim Ambrose (23 not out) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (15no) meant the result was in doubt to the final delivery.

Loan signing Luke Wood bowled the final six balls and conceded just seven runs with straight and accurate bowling.

Rapids were put into bat and Joe Clarke immediately looked in good touch with a string of boundaries.

He collected three in Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s first over and then struck Colin De Grandhomme for 4-4-4-6 off successive balls.

But after making 33 off 14 deliveries the England Lions batsman went for a scoop shot against Harry Brookes and only succeeded in nicking through to keeper Ambrose.

Martin Guptill played second fiddle to Clarke but then upped the ante with a trio of fours in Will Rhodes’ first over before pulling Bears captain Grant Elliott over the mid-wicket boundary.

He brought up his half-century off 38 balls with seven fours and a six but added only one more before being caught off a skier by Hannon Dalby off De Grandhomme.

The partnership with Callum Ferguson was worth 60 off eight overs.

Ben Cox (7) holed out to long-on off Jeetan Patel but Ferguson collected two sixes in an over from the New Zealander.

He perished for 45 from 34 balls attempting a scoop shot and being pouched backward of square off De Grandhomme.

Ross Whiteley, batting at number five, smashed 34 from 17 deliveries with two fours and three sixes which proved crucial in setting a more demanding target.

Rapids lost three wickets in four balls at the conclusion of the innings with two in successive balls to Hannon-Dalby.

Ed Pollock gave Bears a flying start with two sixes in an opening over from Wood which cost 20 runs.

But youngster Pat Brown’s second ball accounted for the in-form Ian Bell who was bowled for a duck.

Brown enjoyed another breakthrough in his next over as Pollock (28) nicked through to keeper Cox.

It became 49-3 when Clarke produced a stunning low catch to account for Adam Hose (6) off Barnard.

Spinner George Rhodes increased the pressure on Bears by bowling Elliott (4) after he went for an expansive drive.

Then Grandhomme (15), having planted one Daryl Mitchell delivery over the mid-wicket boundary, aimed another shot in the same area off the same bowler and was caught by Barnard.

The game swung back towards Bears as Hain hit George Rhodes for two sixes in an over costing 20 runs to reach a 36-ball half-century.

But after racing to 70 off 44 balls with four sixes and five fours he went for one big hit too many and became Mitchell’s second victim as the safe pair of hands of Whiteley at deep mid-wicket made no mistake.

Barnard came back into the attack and snapped up Will Rhodes (21) and Patel (1) in one over – caught at long-on and lbw respectively.

Wood said: “It was great to get over the line. At the start it was tough. They’ve got good players all around and you know how far down the batting order they go.

“They had nine down but got it down to 12 off the last over. It was nerve-wracking at times but it was great to get over the line.

“The last over? It was a new thing to me, coming in a different side with a slightly different role to what I’ve had previously.

“I saw it as a big challenge and to get through it at the end was a nice feeling.

“You try to keep things as clear as you can because if you try to overthink and overcomplicate things just because of the situation it can become quite difficult.

“If you just keep your head clear and try to execute your plan. If it serves you well in other games then it is going to serve you well in this game.

“You don’t get it right all the time but it was nice to get it right this time.”