MODEST match-winner Ben Cox shared the plaudits with his team-mates and Lady Luck after inspiring Worcestershire’s historic T20 Blast triumph.

The 26-year-old survived a dink over an outstretched hand before brushing Chris Jordan’s fizzer marginally past his own wicket en route to the unbeaten 46 which handed Rapids a five-wicket victory over Sussex at Edgbaston.

It was indicative of how the tide began to turn following a tricky third quarter for Kevin Sharp’s men.

After 10 overs, Worcestershire were two runs better off than the Sharks had been at the same stage but Brett D’Oliveira controversially went for 10 following a review with mainstay Moeen Ali (41) caught by Phil Salt having tried to nail a six.

The required run rate gradually looked more daunting but brimming with confidence, Cox carried the fight to put his side within 17 of victory with two overs remaining.

It was then that Jofra Archer’s wild head-height delivery whistled past wicketkeeper Michael Burgess for four plus two for a no ball.

Not content with the bonus, Cox thrashed the free hit for six and then sent a four the same way to finish off the Sharks and banish the memory of his omission from the County Championship defeat to Surrey.

“It has been a tough week,” said Cox.

“As a professional you go through emotions and over the past week I have had low and high.

“To bounce back in the way I did to put in two performances to help to win a trophy for the club means the most to me.

“There were 11 of us out there, I just chipped in. Browny (Pat Brown) did outstandingly with the ball, as did all the bowlers and in my opinion the game was won in that first half.

“Moeen and Joe Clarke set the tone perfectly and we just went from there.

“I found the slow bowlers the hardest, I was waiting to see the back of both spinners.

“I knew I would be able to use the pace and go behind the wicket and some days it comes off. I have had plenty when it hasn’t but this was my day for some reason.

“I chipped one over long off and just got over Luke Wright who got a hand on one, another went just over the stumps. Little things need to go your way and they did.”

Not only did Worcestershire muster plenty of might with the ball but the fielding was brave, well positioned and efficient. In the end they held their nerve to make fewer mistakes than Sussex with bat and ball.

The Sharks had started well but Salt proved too cavalier in surrendering his wicket when ran out by D’Oliveira for 17.

Luke Wright and Laurie Evans put on 58 for the second wicket before Delray Rawlins teamed up produced some punchy shots that threatened to set a testing target.

Brown may not have taken a wicket in the final but was on hand with a well-taken catch to see off Rawlins with Moeen weaving more magic to keep the target down to 158 to win.

T20 BLAST FINAL – Worcestershire beat Sussex by five wickets

SHARKS 157-6: Salt 17, Wright 33, Evans 52, Rawlins 21, Wiese 6, Burgess 14, Archer 7. Extras: 7

Moeen (3-30), Barnard (1-28), Parnell (1-32), Wood (0-24), Brown (0-15), D'Oliveira (0-15), Mitchell (0-11).

RAPIDS 158-5: Clarke 33, Ali 41, Fell 1, D'Oliveira 10, Cox 46*, Whiteley 14, Barnard 1*.

Briggs (2-19), Beer (2-32), Archer (1-36), Mills (0-26), Jordan (0-29), Wiese (0-9).