Worcestershire 143 for 7 (Roderick 39*, Potts 3-30) beat Derbyshire 138 (Andersson 51, Singh 6-32, Swanepoel 3-15) by three wickets
Worcestershire launched their defence of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a nervy three-wicket win over Derbyshire at New Road.
In front of an excellent crowd, the Falcons were bowled out for 138 in 37.1 overs, unpicked by the spin of Fateh Singh and the seam of Beyers Swanepoel. Martin Andersson's 51 from 71 balls for the Falcons was isolated resistance.
The Rapids were made to hard work for their small target but reached 143 for 7 with 76 balls to spare. They overcame a big wobble induced by Nick Potts (3 for 30) to close out victory thanks to the composure of Gareth Roderick (39 not out off 58).
It was a winning, if not highly convincing, start to the Rapids' title defence, but the result leaves Derbyshire already playing serious catch-up in the group. They have started the 50-over campaign with successive defeats after they were on the wrong end of Ben Stokes' match-winning hundred on Tuesday.
After choosing to bowl, the Rapids made just one early breakthrough when Harry Came inside-edged Swanepoel to wicketkeeper Roderick, but Swanepoel's accurate opening spell of 5-0-12-1 kept the brakes on the scoring. Andersson and Brooke Guest (38) added a sedate 73 in 20 overs before the latter fell lbw, playing across a straight ball from Singh.
The spinner then put the Rapids in control as he struck twice with successive balls. Andersson lifted straight to extra cover and Anuj Dal carelessly lifted his back foot and was stumped after missing an attempted drive. The double blow sent the innings into a rut as just three runs came from 20 balls before Singh struck again, bowling Wayne Madsen on the pull.
Ross Whiteley was called for a sharp single by Muhammed Naeem and didn't make it. Singh's first List A five-for arrived when he bowled Potts. Ben Aitchison skied Swanepoel to third and Jack Morley nicked Singh to Roderick.
As well as Singh bowled, there was some irresolute and, at times, irresponsible batting from the Falcons, encapsulated by Naeem, with 13 overs still at his disposal, lifting Swanepoel to deep extra to close the innings.
With such a small total to defend, The Falcons needed to take every chance but when Daniel Lategan, having hit three crisp fours on the way to 16, edged Rory Haydon, Madsen grassed the ball at first slip.
The Rapids advanced to 42 without loss before Potts powered the Falcons back into the match with three wickets in his first seven balls. Lategan (29) pulled the seamer's first ball to fine leg, Brett D'Oliveira slashed to third man three balls later and Jake Libby nicked to wicketkeeper Guest.
Roderick and Kashif Ali stilled the wobble with a stand of 36 until the latter edged Dal behind. When Henry Cullen sent up a skier off Aitchison, the Falcons still had a glimmer of hope but the Rapids, needing 31 from 21 overs with five wickets intact, just had to stay calm.
Matthew Waite ran himself out going for a crazy single and Tom Taylor fell first ball, caught behind off Aitchison, but Roderick was calmness personified and three off-side fours in an over from Swanepoel turned the side back the Rapids' way - this time for good.
