Captain Jake Libby continued his superb form in the Metro Bank One Day Cup to inspire Worcestershire Rapids to a three wicket win over Kent Spitfires at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

Libby struck his fourth half century in five knocks in this summer’s 50 over tournament to lead the Rapids to a fourth win and maintain their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.

His 75 off 68 balls was largely instrumental in Worcestershire reaching a 259 target with seven balls to spare.

Libby has now scored 287 runs at an average of 143.50 and this after being his side’s leading One Day Cup run-getter in 2022 and 2023.

Rob Jones half century was also pivotal to another Rapids success with a side missing nine senior players through illness and injury.

A three-wicket blast from 18-year-old Charlie Home had been largely responsible for reducing the Spitfires to 70-5.

Kent were indebted to List A best batting performances from Charlie Stobo and Grant Stewart as they recovered to 259 all out.

Australian overseas signing Stobo surpassed his previous best score of 32 not out in making 72 off 79 balls and he dominated a partnership of 91 with Stewart for the seventh wicket.

Stewart then took over the mantle of chief aggressor and he went past his previous highest of 57 before being last out for 78 off 60 deliveries.

Home has taken 12 wickets in just three appearances in the One Day Cup and again confirmed his promise although he was latterly on the receiving end of the Stobbo-Stewart onslaught and will learn from the experience.

The Kent seamers then bowled a disciplined line and length to put the home side behind the required rate.

But Jones dug in to keep them in the hunt and then Libby paced his knock to perfection before he was run out with 26 needed and then Hishaam Khan cut Stobo for the winning boundary.

Libby won the toss and put the Spitfires into bat on a slowish pitch previously used for the Vitality Blast game against Lancashire Lightning.

Sturgess took the new ball from the Diglis End and struck with his fourth delivery when Marcus O’Riordan went for an ambitious drive and was bowled via an inside edge.

Hishaam Khan shared the attack from the New Road and he also made an early breakthrough when Beyers Swanepoel went for a pull and was caught down the legside by keeper Gareth Roderick.

Jack Leaning and Joey Evison attempted to rebuild the innings but after adding 41 the latter cut Home, who had taken six wickets against Derbyshire on Friday, straight to Ethan Brookes at backward point.

Home then struck twice in an over to reduce the visitors to 70-5. Harry Finch was undone by a delivery which nipped back and became the second player to be bowled through an inside edge.

Then four balls later Evison (23) fenced at a delivery and edged through to Roderick. Spinner Tom Hinley came into the attack and he accounted for Jaydyn Denly who was bowled through the game from a delivery which turned.

Stobbo went on the offensive against Home when he returned to the attack and pulled the 18-year-old for three boundaries in an over. He and Grant Stewart played sensibly on a pitch where the occasional delivery stopped in the surface.

Stobo completed a 55 ball half century and the partnership was worth 91 from 15 overs when he was stumped after aiming a big blow at Singh down the ground. He hit one six and six fours.

Stewart struck successive sixes on his way to a half century off 49 balls before Singh picked up two wickets in the space of three balls.

Hamidullah Qadri was pouched at deep mid wicket and then Singh bowled Matt Parkinson after he pushed forward to claim his third scalp.

But Stewart struck two more sixes on the trot off the spinner before being bowled by Khan in the final over after hitting five maximums and six fours.

When Worcestershire batted, Ed Pollock despatched Stewart for 6-4-4 in the space of four balls but then nicked a ball of extra bounce from the same bowler through to the keeper.

Gareth Roderick and Rob Jones added 49 but they were kept in check by a disciplined Kent attack.Roderick briefly opened out to pull Stobo for six backward of square but then was lbw to a ball of full length from Gilchrist.

Jones has struggled for runs in his first full season at New Road but dug in to complete an 80 ball half century with a cut for four at Stewart’s expense

.But he fell to a return catch in his next over after adding 70 with Jake Libby. Brookes was soon into his stride with a ramp shot for six off Stewart although he then holed out to deep mid-wicket off Stobo at 177-4.

Libby completed his half century with successive scoop shots for four from Stobo before Rehaan Edavalath top-edged a return catch to Gilchrist.

The game took another twist when Libby turned Stobo on the on side and was run out attempting a risky second run. Singh then drilled Stewart to Gilchrist at cover with 21 required but Khan and Tom Hinley kept their nerve to see the Rapids home.

Rob Jones said: “The young boys bring in a freshness with Jack, Hishaam, Sturge, Hinley. Everyone contributes week in and week out and doing it at the right time.

“Hinley got a five for the other week, Jack has been doing what Jack does, and it’s brilliant they are all contributing and hopefully the senior guys can keep chipping in and guiding the youngsters through.

“It’s all about contributing to a team effort and it was nice for me to spend a bit of time out there. It’s probably been a bit lean for me recently.

“I will always try and give my best and it is nice to contribute and ultimately get a win for the team. That’s the most important thing.

“It was a slow wicket and they bowled pretty straight and accurate and you had to wait for a bad ball. It was almost like red ball cricket at the start.

“You’ve got to trust your defence and wait for a bad ball which I did today and thankfully I got a few and hopefully I can kick on from here.

“Libbs is a fantastic player and what he has done in this competition is unbelievable. He was the rock of that chase and just shows his class and quality every single time he plays.

“When someone like Libbs gets out it is always a bit of a worrying time but the boys who came in did an excellent job.”

Kent Coach Mark Dekker said: “Those sorts of games are always tough. You feel you are in it right to the end and then you get pipped to the post.

“It’s not a great experience but that’s cricket and against Lancashire they were on the other side of it. Today we are and it’s about how we process that information to break down emotions from facts. It’s as simple as that.

“It was an absolute brilliant effort by Grant and Charlie after being 115-6 and by our own admission we recognise that our top five batting hasn’t quite fired yet.

“What is really pleasing about Charlie Stobo is that he is the consummate professional. He has got very clear thinking, he speaks well within the group.

“He was patient today, he still took his runs when he could get them and the moment he felt he could cash in, he nailed it down. Particularly impressive from him today.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that our bowlers have been very good and kept us in this tournament.

“I’d break down what happened down to two overs. They got stuck into one over from Grant and then Joey Evison got pinged a bit. We didn’t quite nail our skills and they did.”