The hosts started with confidence during the reply, keeping up with the required rate as opening bowlers Khurram Shahzad and Matthew Waite searched for a breakthrough.
It was Waite who delivered for his side, in the sixth over of the contest, taking the prize scalp of Notts run-machine and captain Haseeb Hameed, who had shown early warning signs for the Rapids in the field, but even after his dismissal, the Outlaws continued to score at a comfortable rate.
With a second-wicket partnership worth fifty blossoming under brightening skies, it was essential the Worcestershire bowlers continued to make inroads into a Outlaws card that batted very deep.
Another standout performer with the ball throughout this season, Adam Finch, entered the fray and took another crucial scalp for his side, as he dug a short ball into the pitch that hurried Ben Slater, who could only chip a ball straight to the onlooking Ethan Brookes, who took a straightforward catch at midwicket.
From 84-2, the hosts showed signs of another revival, working their way past 120 inside 20 overs.
That was ended in emphatic style however, as Brookes did what he has become so reliable at doing for his side this year and impacted the game when in mattered most, as he took two-wickets in successive balls to flip the innings on it’s head.
The seamer removed Sam Seecharan (17) and Tom Moores (0) to send Notts 121-4, before skipper Brett D’Oliveira entered the fray and took the huge wicket of half-centurion Jack Haynes, for 51, as the home side spiralled to 129-5.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, the middle overs were proving to be a fruitful passage for the visitors, who were in the wickets yet again in the 23rd over, when D’Oliveira (2-44) had substitute fielder Ben Allison to thank for taking an athletic, diving catch on the long-off boundary, to remove the dangerous Daniel Sams before he could get going.
Brookes, 10-0-51-3, returned to take the seventh wicket of the innings, with Henry Cullen taking a smart reaction catch stood up to the stumps, as the Rapids bowlers tightened their grip on the contest with their opponents in real peril at 145-7.
An eighth wicket rearguard of 71 between Joe Pocklington and Rob Lord gave the home side a faint chance, but when Pocklington was caught off the bowling of Fateh Singh for a well-made 54, a Rapids victory looked a formality.
A ninth wicket stand of 92, led by a superb Rob Lord knock of 83, got the Outlaws to within 19 runs of victory, as the unthinkable seemed to be coming true for the Rapids, as visions of a handsome away win crumbled before them.
In a nail-biting finish, it went down to the very last over of the match, after Waite had taken a crucial wicket in the lead up to the final over, with Khurram defending just four-runs to avoid a simply unfathomable defeat.
The Pakistan star held his nerve, and with the hosts needing two runs to win off the final ball, the attempted run-out from Henry Cullen narrowly missed the stumps as the final pair scampered through for a bye, to tie the match and leave the Rapids wondering how on earth they found themselves in the position they did, after having total control of the game at the midway point.
Attentions now turn to Sunday, where the side travel to Essex and will look to stitch together the very good patches that were on display during Thursday’s tie, into a complete performance.