WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids kept their Metro Bank One Day Cup title defence firmly on track with a stunning four-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks.
The win came after the team successfully chased down a daunting target of 334 at Hove and was built around another masterful century from captain Jake Libby, who continued his remarkable run of form by finishing unbeaten on 109.
After winning the toss, Libby elected to bowl first on a batter-friendly surface.
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Sussex made a positive start and looked well placed at 66 without loss before Ben Gibbon sparked a Rapids recovery.
The left-armer removed Charlie Tear for 30 and Tom Haines with a superb delivery before claiming a third wicket when Oli Carter chipped a catch to Libby.
Worcestershire maintained pressure throughout the middle overs.
Brett D'Oliveira claimed the wicket of George Thomas for 39, while spinner Fateh Singh dismissed John Simpson for 30.
Sussex still managed to build a strong total thanks to half-centuries from Jack Leaning and Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
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Debutant George O'Connor claimed his first wicket for the county when he removed Leaning for 50, while Tom Taylor ended Hudson-Prentice's explosive 68 from just 35 balls.
Ben Allison then struck twice late on as Sussex closed on 333-9 from their 50 overs.
The Rapids needed a strong start to their chase and received exactly that from openers Brett D'Oliveira and Isaac Mohammed.
The pair raced to 56 without loss during the powerplay and laid a solid platform before D'Oliveira fell for 31 and Mohammed departed for 44.
The key partnership came when Libby was joined by Kashif Ali.
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The pair shared 118 runs for the fourth wicket, keeping Worcestershire in touch with the required rate.
Kashif played an attacking innings of 73 from just 52 deliveries, hitting five fours and a six before being dismissed.
Libby remained calm and composed throughout, bringing up his third successive One Day Cup century from only 91 balls.
With 34 runs still required from the final four overs, the contest remained in the balance.
However, Ben Allison produced a crucial late cameo, smashing 20 from just nine balls and taking 16 runs from the 48th over to swing the game decisively in Worcestershire's favour.
Allison finished the match in style as the Rapids completed an impressive chase and secured a vital victory that keeps their quarter-final hopes very much alive.
Libby's unbeaten 109 once again underlined his importance to the defending champions.
The victory keeps the Rapids firmly in the hunt for a quarter-final place, with a trip to Glamorgan up next on Sunday, where a win would put the defending champions in the box seat in Group B.
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