ALEX Hepburn celebrated signing a contract extension with Worcestershire Rapids by picking up four wickets on his senior debut in the Royal London One-Day Cup eight-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes at New Road.

The Western Australian-born all-rounder, who has put pen to paper until the end of the 2016 campaign, returned figures of 4-34 from 9.5 overs as the Foxes were bowled out for 172 in 44.5 overs.

Then Tom Fell and Joe Clarke hit unbeaten half-centuries during an unbroken stand of 98 in 17 overs as the Rapids triumphed with 18 overs to spare.

Hepburn has enjoyed a successful season for the second eleven, scoring four centuries and producing several impressive performances with the ball.

Saeed Ajmal (3-33) and Ed Barnard (2-30) were the other successful bowlers after Leicester had chosen to bat.

It was the first win of 2015 in the 50-over competition for the Rapids who wind up their group programme against Derbyshire at the 3aaa County Ground today.

Barnard made the first breakthrough of the Foxes innings. The former England Under 19 player had Niall O’Brien (7) pouched at slip by skipper Daryl Mitchell.

Ross Whiteley shared the new ball and he accounted for Angus Robson (11) who was caught at cover by Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

Barnard struck again when bowling Aadil Ali (9) to leave Leicestershire on 44-3 at the end of the first 10 over powerplay.

Hepburn and Ajmal came into the attack and the wickets continued to tumble.

Lewis Hill (17) lofted Hepburn straight to Chris Russell at mid on and then Andrea Agathangelou (13) nicked Ajmal to Mitchell at slip.

Ned Eckersley (4) perished when he drilled Hepburn to Kohler-Cadmore at mid wicket and Mitchell pulled off a superb catch at slip to dismiss Rob Sayer (2) off Ajmal.

When Rob Taylor (23) played back to Ajmal and was bowled, Leicestershire stood on 98-8 in the 29th over.

Resistance came from Clint McKay and Zak Chappell who added 74 in 16 overs for the ninth wicket.

Hepburn wrapped up the innings on his return to the attack when he bowled Chappell (31) and Atif Sheikh (0) to leave McKay unbeaten on 42 from 57 balls.

Kohler-Cadmore got the Rapids reply off to a quick-fire start making 31 out of 56 when in the last over of the first 10 over powerplay he was bowled by Taylor.

Mitchell advanced to 22 before he was adjudged lbw to Chappell.

Fell and Clarke joined forces and Fell went to his 50 off 66 balls, while Clarke brought up his third successive half-century with successive straight sixes off Sayer.