One-Day Cup: Callum Ferguson follows up his 192 with 159 for Worcestershire

Callum Ferguson hit 13 fours and three sixes in his 159 off 136 balls

Worcestershire batsman Callum Ferguson continued his extraordinary One-Day Cup form as his 159 helped his side beat Northants to strengthen their qualification chances.

Ferguson's unbeaten century at New Road followed Tuesday's 192 on his debut.

The Australian shared a club-record second-wicket stand of 239 with Joe Clarke (122) in the hosts' 348-5.

Rob Newton (61) and Adam Rossington (63) starred in the chase, but Northants were all out for 314.

Worcestershire are now level on points with Warwickshire at the top of the north table, ahead of the two rivals meeting at Edgbaston in Thursday's day-night final group fixture.

Victory for either would guarantee a place in the knockout stages although, if Yorkshire lose to Lancashire at Old Trafford on Tuesday, both will already be through.

Ferguson and Clarke's partnership eclipsed the previous record 208 put on by Vikram Solanki and Phil Hughes against Lancashire in 2012, helping the Pears recover superbly after England all-rounder Moeen Ali again went without scoring - his second duck in three games.

Clarke was eventually dismissed by Graeme White in the 38th over, but 33-year-old Ferguson continued to score freely through to the end of the innings.

Worcestershire have now made three of their top eight List A scores in their 55-year one-day history in the space of just 12 days - 380-4 v Leicestershire, 350-6 v Yorkshire and Sunday's 348-5.

Worcestershire century-maker Joe Clarke:

"A great performance from the team. Northants are a very strong white ball side and they have got some dangerous players.

"I've got two List A hundreds for Worcestershire now and I'd say that was probably my better one. When you are batting with Fergie at the other end, he makes it easy.

"He has got a calm head. He has played a lot of one-day cricket and he brings that calmness to the batting side. To get a 192 and a 159 not out in his first two home games is an incredible achievement."

Northants head coach David Ripley:

"I was more enthused about this performance than some others. At stages we threatened. It's a lot of runs to find and you can't afford to have a bad five or six overs. That is what cost us.

"We were ahead of them at the half-way stage after the 25-over mark but in their innings their two guys then went up a gear and we didn't respond well to that.

"In reply we were reasonably well placed and all the top five scored more than a run a ball but Callum Ferguson's run-a-ball 159, that unfortunately is where we came in short."