WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids raced to their their second win in three T20 Blast matches when they beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks by 15 runs in a high-scoring game at Northampton.

Highlight of the victory was an innings of 90 from the County’s England all-rounder Moeen Ali who top-scored in his side’s 211-3 after the visitors won the toss.

Josh Cobb (80) led a spirited Northamptonshire reply, but Worcestershire’s bowler just did enough.

The game was also memorable when the County decided to bowl two overs from spinners Moeen and Saeed Ajmal without a wicketkeeper. Ben Cox dispensing with his pads and joining the out-fielders.

Worcestershire’s mammoth total was set up by a brilliant opening partnership of 131 between Moeen and Daryl Mitchell.

The pair took the Northamptonshire attack apart before they were parted in the 13th over when Mitchell was bowled by Pakistan leg-spinner Shahid Afridi for 43.

The New Road skipper batted for just 31 balls and hit six fours.

Moeen followed in the next over when he was caught by Alex Wakeley off the bowling of seamer Steven Crook.

Worcestershire’s England all-rounder was at his imperious best and needed just 50 deliveries to reach 90. His sparkling innings contained no less than five sixes and 11 fours.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore joined New Zealander Colin Munro and the third-wicket pair wasted no time in continuing the assault on the Northamptonshire attack.

They added 33 before Munro holed out to Wakeley off the bowling of seamer David Willey for 17 off 12 deliveries with a six and a four.

Kohler-Cadmore continued to flourish and hit a six and three fours as he remained unbeaten on 30 when the Worcestershire innings closed on 211-3. Whiteley played his part with 20 not out off just nine balls.

Northamptonshire needed a run-rate of over 10.5 per over and reached 22 before they lost their first wicket in the third over. Ed Barnard took a good catch when Willey skied a delivery from seamer Joe Leach.

Richard Levi and second-wicket partner Cobb set about repairing the damage with some lusty blows. They took the score to 87 in the ninth over when Levi was trapped leg-before by Saeed, who had made an indifferent start to his bowling return when his first two overs cost 25.

Cobb was leading the Northants’ resistance and he reached his 50 with a six off Barnard as the home side needed 67 to win off the last five overs.

Wakeley was struggling to find his touch and perished in the 17th over when he was bowled by Leach for 19. He had added 68 with Cobb for the third wicket.

Mitchell bravely went with Saeed for the 18th over after the Pakistani’s first three overs had gone for 44. But he got his reward when both Shahid Afridi (15) and Cobb were caught at long-off by Moeen. Saeed finished with figures of 3-53.

The Northants’ hopes had disappeared and Rory Kleinveldt (1) and Rob Keogh (2) fell to seamer Jack Shantry as the home side’s innings closed on 197-7. Barnard finished with the economic figures of 0-31 from his four overs.