Worcestershire Rapids handed arch-rivals Warwickshire Bears a third successive Vitality Blast defeat with an emphatic six-wicket victory in the big derby at New Road.

The Bears were restricted to a modest 141 all out from 19.5 overs as only Rob Yates (45 from 31 balls) and Jordan Thompson (37 off 31) reached 20 against an attack of collective accuracy, led by Usama Mir and Tom Taylor (2-17).

The Rapid then eased to 142 for 4 with seven balls to spare as the top four all passed 20 and Kashif Ali went on to deliver the required match-clinching contribution with 36 off 30.

The win leaves the Rapids with a promising start of two wins out of three, but the Bears’ quest for a sixth successive qualification for the quarter-finals has endured a nightmare start. Their home game with Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Sunday is already pretty much must-win.

After choosing to bowl, the Rapids took wickets regularly, starting with the very first ball which Taylor sent into Alex Davies’ stumps. Beau Webster was run out by miles after embarking upon a single when Yates didn’t. Sam Hain, so often the Rapids’ bete noir, lifted Adam Finch to mid-off. Yates was left carrying the innings after Mir had Ed Barnard caught by wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick off a superb delivery and bowled Vaansh Jani through a slog.

Yates hit the first six of the day, from the 61st ball, over long-on off Mir, but at 99 for 5 with six overs left the Bears needed a late rally. Instead, the excellent Mir harvested his third wicket when Yates fell to a fine diving catch by his former team-mate Ethan Brookes at point. Chris Woakes lifted Taylor to cover and it was left to Thompson to biff his team closer to respectability with two sixes off Finch before he missed a full toss and was lbw.

The Bears needed to mirror the Rapids’ rapid taking of wickets but acquired only one in the powerplay, from its last ball when Brett D’Oliveira pulled Thompson to midwicket. Isaac Mohammed charged at Usman Tariq’s first ball, an off-side wide, and was stumped, but Kashif and Adam Hose batted with calm intelligence to add 47 in six overs.

Hose pulled Woakes to deep midwicket but the Rapids entered the last five overs needing just 29 with seven wickets intact and Sikandar Raza and Brookes saw the job through with comfort to the delight of most of a large, exuberant crowd.