WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids clinched a 20-run victory over Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge to boost their hopes of qualifying for the T20 Blast finals.

The win was built around a belligerent 75 from Tom Kohler-Cadmore and backed up by some key spells by their slow bowlers Brett D'Oliveira (1-24), Saeed Ajmal (2-33) and Daryl Mitchell (1-18).

Kohler-Cadmore inspired a tremendous start for Worcestershire with his big-hitting exploits. But it was not before the County lost their captain Mitchell in the first over of the match to Samit Patel.

The left-arm spinner trapped him leg-before after the opener had cracked him for four.

The dismissal brought Kohler-Cadmore to the wicket and he immediately set about the Nottinghamshire attack. He blasted no less then five sixes and seven fours in a brilliant 75 that came off just 39 balls. He put on 86 with Richard Oliver before the latter was bowled by seamer Steve Mullaney for 31 off 24 deliveries.

Kohler-Cadmore's knock came to an end when he was caught by Patel off medium-pacer Daniel Christian.

D'Oliveira joined Colin Munro but the former made only nine before becoming Mullaney's second victim and Worcestershire's fourth wicket with the score on 138 in the 16th over. Another wicket fell in the same over when Munro was run out for 16.

Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox tried to repair the damage but their sixth-wicket partnership ended when Whiteley (14) holed out to Sam Wood off Harry Gurney.

That wicket fell at 163 and six runs later Joe Leach departed for four, bowled by Jake Ball, and next delivery Ed Barnard was cleaned up by the same bowler.

Worcestershire's demise continued when Cox was caught by Alex Hales off Gurney for 11 and the Rapids were then bowled out for 173 with three balls left when Jack Shantry (4) became Gurney's third scalp.

In reply, Notts got off to a bright start through openers Alex Hales and Michael Lumb. Hales took 14 off a Joe Leach over but Lumb departed, bowled by Barnard, with the score on 25.

Hales, however, took a liking to Barnard's bowling and the young seamer went for 17 in the seventh over with the England opener hitting two sixes and a four.

Riki Wessels was also in run-a-ball form and the 50 partnership with Hales came up in the ninth over. But Worcestershire got the wicket they desperately needed when Hales (47) was caught by Kohler-Cadmore off Mitchell.

Wessels (24) followed next over when he was bowled by D'Oliveira.

Notts needed 90 to win off nine overs with seven wickets in hand.

Patel (9) and Dan Christian took the score to 115 before Patel holed out to Whiteley off Saeed Ajmal and two balls later the spinner bowled Christian (26) to leave the Outlaws on 115-5.

Notts needed 56 off the last four overs and Mullaney was soon out, bowled by Leach.

Greg Smith hit Saeed for a six and four as the Outlaws needed 34 off the last 12 deliveries but Sam Wood (9) was caught by Mitchell off Leach and Chris Read was caught by Barnard in the same over.

Shantry bowled the last over with 27 needed. He dismissed Smith for 20 as Notts closed on 153-9, 20 runs short.