WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids head coach Kevin Sharp hailed a “sensational innings” from Daryl Mitchell which helped secure a thrilling last-ball win over visiting Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Mitchell (102 not out) rescued Rapids from 93-6 after completing a 117-ball ton.

He received support from Ed Barnard (28) and skipper Joe Leach (42no) as Rapids reached 255-7 to go top of the North Group.

Earlier Brett D’Oliveira (2-28) helped restrict Lancashire to 254-9 from 48 overs after they had been put into bat.

Sharp said: “It’s a fantastic win. It’s fair to say we did well with the ball and in the field.

"It looked at one point as if Lancashire could make 300 on a good wicket.

“But we had a great spell in the middle where we took wickets and fielded brilliantly.

“When we lost six wickets in the first 18 overs, you wonder how you are going to get there and more often than not you wouldn’t.

“Barny’s partnership with Mitch was excellent and then Joe has played a captain’s innings at the end and got us over the line.

“I was in tears just about at the end because you are hoping you can do these things but you think it is a long shot when you are six down from 18 overs.

“But that’s the beauty of the game. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you. We haven’t always had the rub of the green this season.

“Those of us who have been around long enough know it’s a wheel of fortune and it can turn for you and having had a disappointing result at Durham on Friday after winning at Headingley it’s a rollercoaster ride.

“You sometimes aren’t sure what is going to happen next and here we are top of the table aren’t we?”

Sharp added: “Mitch is a guy who has been at this club for a long time. He is a seasoned pro and what a sensational, mature, fine executed innings that was.

“To take it deep, not panic and go right to the end, there’s a guy who has played cricket for many years and done a fantastic job for Worcestershire.

“When you’ve got someone like that with the experience to get you over the line you are in a good position.

“Brett’s white-ball skills have been prolific over the last two or three years. He varies his pace nicely and is good at bowling it into the pitch.

“With him being not as tall as some players, sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce as much and that’s harder for the batsmen to get underneath it. That certainly proved the case against Lancashire.”