WORCESTERSHIRE finished third in both the Second XI Trophy and T20 North Group this summer.

Coach Kevin Sharp’s side acquitted themselves well in both the 50-over tournament and the short format of the game.

They picked up three wins, plus a point from a wash-out, in the Trophy to finish behind Derbyshire and Durham, who qualified for the knockout stages along with the top two in the South Group.

It was the same scenario in the T20 with Worcestershire again winning half of their games, this time six out of 12, plus two further points from two no-results.

This time it was Lancashire and Durham who progressed through to the latter stages.

Skipper George Rhodes scored a century for Worcestershire seconds, who were edged out by two wickets by a combined Kent and Northamptonshire XI in a 50-over match at Northampton.

The all-rounder hit 130 off 127 balls with 16 fours as the County totalled 290-7 after being put into bat.

But Kent and Northants reached their target with 7.3 overs to spare despite losing a late flurry of wickets.

After two days of inclement weather, Worcestershire were delighted to play a full day’s cricket in a match played under Royal London One-Day Cup regulations.

Worcs started positively with opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore batting steadily for 17 overs with Rhodes in a stand of 87 for the second wicket in 17 overs.

Kohler-Cadmore was caught at deep mid-wicket for 59 of 60 balls, including 10 boundaries, with the total on 101-2.

Rhodes batted for 47 of Worcestershire’s 50 overs and his first half-century came off 74 balls with only two boundaries and 32 singles.

But he picked the pace up during his second half-century from 43 more deliveries, including another eight fours before being caught in the deep, for fifth out at 280.

The combined Kent and Northants side went after the runs from the start.

The mainstay of their innings was Charlie Thurston (79 from 72 deliveries) and, although none of them could match Rhodes’ endurance, each new batsman found the boundary with relative ease, which kept their side up with the required run-rate.

The County kept chipping away at the opposition with regular wickets and held catches on a cold afternoon, including a sharp take at cover by Chris Russell.

Despite a good effort in the field by the visitors, the hosts achieved their total in the 43rd over.