It was the two Ben’s who were the architects of Worcestershire’s stunning start with the ball, as Gibbon and Allison took two wickets apiece to reduce the home side to 23-4.
Gibbon made the dream start to the defence as he took a wicket with the third ball of the innings when he bowled Rishi Patel courtesy of a chop-on from a ball angled across the right-hander, before Allison had Sol Budinger caught by Jack Home close in on the off-side.
The duo repeated their tricks in the fifth and sixth over to remove Lewis Hill and Foxes skipper Peter Handscomb as the home side were sent reeling.
Shan Masood and Ben Cox came together for the Foxes however to launch a rebuild for their side that swung the course of the game dramatically, as the pair batted for 26 overs in a stand of 163 as the Rapids bowlers struggled to find a way past the two set batters.
As has been the case on numerous occasions this year, it was Brookes who delivered the key moment for his team in the 32nd over of the contest, when he combined with keeper Henry Cullen as the young gloveman took a superb catch down the leg-side after the ball caught the edge of Cox’s bat to spell the end of his innings for 76.
Allison doubled the Rapids’ delight in the very next over to see the back of Masood for 88, after the Pakistan international could only edge an attempted drive behind to Cullen.
At 188-6, it was the visitors who now had the tales up and were back in control, hunting down the remaining four-wickets required for victory.
Jack Home (2-20) bowled in spritely fashion as he weighed in with his first wicket of the afternoon when he outpaced Ian Holland with a fast short ball that was top-edged down to Allison at third man, before the duo harmonised again soon after to see the back of Trevaskis.
Despite later leaving the field with having picked up an injury midway through his sixth over, it was Matthew Waite who claimed the ninth wicket of the day in a vital wicket maiden in the 44th over, before Ben Mike’s valiant late cameo of 72 not-out prolonged the Rapids’ celebrations.
Ben Allison held his nerve in the final over as the game reached a nervy climax, to see his side to a 16-run win and keep the Rapids in good position in their quest for a home semi-final.
With news later filtering through that group leaders Gloucestershire had lost against Essex, the ‘Blue for Bakes’ clash with Surrey has taken on even more significance with Worcestershire now in a place to qualify straight into the last four, dependant on results this Tuesday.