Put in, the Bears started strongly and never lost momentum as they totalled 228 for 4 thanks to Rob Yates (59), Dan Mousley (51) and Glenn Maxwell (44). Mousley then continued his brilliant Blast by adding 4 for 41 to his half-century
Edgbaston: Birmingham Bears 228-4, Worcestershire Rapids 175-9 - Birmingham Bears won by 53 runs
Birmingham Bears secured a place in the Vitality Blast quarter-finals with a thumping 53-run victory over arch-rivals Worcestershire Rapids at Edgbaston.
Put in, the Bears started strongly and never lost momentum as they totalled 228 for 4 thanks to Rob Yates (59), Dan Mousley (51) and Glenn Maxwell (44).
Mousley then continued his brilliant Blast by adding 4 for 41 to his half-century as the Rapids totalled 175 for 9.
One more win from their last two games will secure the Bears a home tie in the last eight while, though the defeat is a setback for the Rapids, they remain in the thick of the qualification race.
Dan Mousley had a terific game for Birmingham Bears [Getty Images]
The Rapids chose to field but Bears openers Yates and Alex Davies put 50 on the board in 30 balls.
England's most recent debutant Josh Tongue suffered a tough first over with three successive wides but he hit back well in his second over, beating Yates with three successive balls without getting the edge.
After a strong powerplay (66 without loss), the Bears lost Davies (29), caught behind off Santner's second ball, but Yates galloped to his second Blast fifty in 24 hours before skying a return catch to Dillon Pennington.
Maxwell's departure, well held by Pat Brown at long-off off Santner, brought together Mousley and Chris Benjamin. They crashed 60 from 30 balls to leave the Rapids needing to score at more than 11 runs per over.
They received a perky start, 48 from 31 balls, from Brett D'Oliveira (28) and Jack Haynes (34) before the former tried to swat Mousley's first ball to leg and was bowled. Haynes then swung Danny Briggs over midwicket for six but drilled the next ball to Yates at extra cover.
Rob Yates made a half-century against Worcestershire Rapids [Getty Images]
The Rapids had to go for broke and that pressure cost wickets. Briggs struck a big blow by luring former Bears teammate, and fellow Ventnor product, Adam Hose to his doom, stumped by Davies. Kashif Ali hit Mousley far into the Hollies Stand but then dragged a swinging yorker from Hassan Ali on to his stumps in a superb over which cost three runs and sent the required rate into the stratosphere.
Santner landed some clean blows in his fifth T20 half-century, from 27 balls, but Mousley bowled Ben Cox and Usama Mir with successive balls to leave the Rapids needing 96 from five overs. When Mousley had Santner stumped to complete his four-for, the Bears were home, hosed and in the quarter-final.
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