One-Day Cup: Worcestershire beat Leicestershire with record run chase

Callum Ferguson hit five sixes and 21 fours from the 143 balls he faced at New Road

Worcestershire completed English one-day cricket's largest successful run chase to beat Leicestershire by six wickets at New Road.

Callum Ferguson's 192 helped them pass the target of 377 with 16 balls to spare after opener Joe Clarke's 62.

Paul Horton (79), Ben Raine (83), Mark Cosgrove (70) and Colin Ackermann (71 not out) helped the visitors to 376-4.

In reply, the hosts lost Moeen Ali for a duck before Ferguson arrived and hit five sixes and 21 fours.

Daryl Mitchell's 50 from 36 balls and Brett D'Oliveira's unbeaten 54 from 47 balls also helped the hosts get over the line.

Worcestershire's win was their fourth from five games and kept them top of the One Day Cup's North Group.

Debutant Ferguson's knock of 192 from 143 balls was his career-best in limited-overs cricket and Worcestershire's highest List A individual score, beating fellow Australian Tom Moody's 180 not out in the 1994 Nat West Trophy semi-final against Surrey.

He was drafted in after compatriot Travis Head received an earlier than expected call-up to join Australia's squad for their forthcoming one-day series against England.

Worcestershire's total was their highest in one-day cricket against first-class opposition, beating their 376-6 against Surrey at The Oval in the CB40 in September 2010.

Their highest overall remains the 404-3 they made when Ian Botham and Graeme Hick both hit centuries against Devon at New Road in 1987 in the NatWest Trophy.

Leicestershire's score, meanwhile, was their highest in one-day cricket against another first-class county, but it was not enough for what would have been only their second victory in this season's competition.

Worcestershire batsman Callum Ferguson told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"I had a few nerves coming into the game and was just pleased to be able to make an impact. It is certainly better than getting nought on your debut.

"To play domestic cricket over here was something I wanted to get the chance to do, and to be able to get off on the right foot and make some runs is really exciting.

"It was a game that could define our season. That has really set us up in one-day cricket and is a good momentum builder. Hopefully we can keep the ball rolling in the next few games.

"We certainly didn't fly through the first few overs and losing Mo was a big blow as we all know the quality he brings to the table. But, once we got going, it just seemed to flow quite nicely and the ball did seem to be hitting the middle of my bat."

Leicestershire head coach Paul Nixon:

"We are disappointed after a record Leicestershire score in that format. We are very proud of that. We wanted our batsmen to stand up after the last performance and be a lot more positive, take it to the opposition.

"We were desperate to do well for Matt Mason, our head bowling coach, a very proud man who had been at Worcestershire for 18 years.

"But the bowling group didn't execute under pressure. We were missing our marks by four or five yards rather than a foot or two feet, and it has cost us dearly on a high class pitch.

"We've seen a special innings and hats off to them. We went way too full and Callum Ferguson punished us, as most of the batsmen did. Worcestershire are top of the table and that is why."