BEN Cox struck a huge six off the penultimate ball to earn Worcestershire Rapids a stunning two-wicket win at Lancashire Lightning as they went top of the NatWest T20 Blast North Group.

The Rapids wicketkeeper smashed a James Faulkner delivery over long-on to finish on 22 not out from 13 balls at Old Trafford.

Worcestershire, who host bottom-of-the-table Derbyshire tomorrow (5.30pm), earned their fourth win in six matches after being set 163-5 and bagged their first victory over Lancashire in the competition with a reply of 164-8.

In the visitors' reply, spinner and skipper Steven Croft was smashed for three boundaries by England's Moeen Ali in his opening over.

Faulkner began with a maiden to County skipper Daryl Mitchell before Moeen (21) mistimed a pull to mid-wicket in the fourth over.

Mitchell collected three fours in the final over of the powerplay from Faulkner.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore greeted the return of Croft with a six over long-on but was adjudged lbw to spinner Arron Lilley for 11.

Rapids reached 73-2 at the half-way stage before the boundaries dried up in mid-innings.

Colin Munro released the shackles with a reverse pull for six and a four over cover as the 100 came up in the 14th over.

On 108-2, Rapids lost two wickets in consecutive balls as Munro (22) was run-out and Mitchell, after sealing a fine 50 off 38 balls with seven fours, was trapped lbw for 53.

Ross Whiteley (7) was caught out and Rapids required 40 off the final four overs.

The recalled Brett D'Oliveira and Cox hit 17 off the 17th over but the 18th from Faulkner yielded only three.

D'Oliveira struck a big six over mid-wicket only to be run-out for 22 off 14 balls.

Faulkner's final over saw Joe Leach caught behind for a duck to leave six required from four deliveries.

Ed Barnard was run-out without scoring but Cox struck a massive six to settle the issue.

Earlier, Leach broke through in the second over when Liam Livingstone (1) was caught by Whiteley at cover.

Jack Shantry conceded 21 runs in his second over and Leach's cost 18.

Saeed Ajmal bowled a tight opener before ending a partnership of 71 in seven overs between Ashwell Prince and Karl Brown (42) with the latter caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Leach.

It became 80-3 when Moeen, on his 28th birthday, removed Prince (33) with Shantry catching.

Lightning were restricted to seven overs without a boundary before Croft struck three in four deliveries in Ajmal's third over.

Faulkner (23) holed out to a good low catch by Barnard at long-off off Shantry after adding 49 in seven overs with Croft.

Ajmal claimed his second victim when Colin Munro ran in from long-on to hold on to Croft's mistimed shot for 31.

Late hitting from Alex Davies (16 not out) and Jordan Clark (15no) boosted Lightning as Moeen returned 1-22 from four overs and Ajmal 2-31.