Tom Taylor posted his second half century of the competition but ran out of partners as Warwickshire took the points over Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.
With rain reducing play to 46 overs a side, the home team were eleven for two after 19 balls after Ricardo Vasconcelos won the toss and elected to bowl. Jack White continued his fine showing with the white ball when he had Pollock’s off stump cartwheeling with the second ball of the morning.
But Burgess and Rhodes’s third wicket stand of 133 paved the way for a late onslaught by Warwickshire. Matt Lamb, belting 65, and the innovative Dan Mousley, with 54 from 44 balls, smashed all but two of the 104 ultimately taken from the final eleven overs.
Both men fell swinging in the last seven balls but a target of 279 at a tick beyond six an over always looked demanding. By the reply’s eighth over, it seemed formidable. As Ricardo Vasconcelos edged behind, cutting at Jordan Bulpitt, Northamptonshire became 35 for three.
With five gone and seven an over now needed, the match was essentially decided an hour into the visitors’ response.
Tom Taylor and Charlie Thurston refused to submit however. The pair had taken the total past 100 with a stand worth more than 50 before Thurston was forced to retire hurt. Pulling at Ethan Brookes, Thurston top-edged under his grill and into his chin to leave a cut requiring stitches.
Tom Taylor famously helped win a T20 game from the dead here last September but, though he reached an entertaining and unbeaten 57 from 65 balls, the four remaining wickets went at the other end in five overs, Thurston unable to resume. It was the second unbeaten half century for Tom Taylor in the competition who continues to impress with the bat.
The Steelbacks now return to The County Ground as they welcome Somerset on Sunday for the David Capel Memorial Game. Tickets are available online now or on the gate, £1 from each ticket sold goes directly to The Brain Tumour Charity.