DERBYSHIRE ended a run of three successive defeats and dealt a further blow to Worcestershire’s hopes of reaching the NatWest T20 Blast quarter-finals with a seven-wicket success over the Rapids at New Road.

Worcestershire recovered from a dismal start to set a challenging target of 186 thanks to some spectacular late big hitting by wicketkeeper Ben Cox (59 not out) and Matt Henry (35no).

However, the Falcons kept up with the necessary run-rate and when rain stopped play at the end of the 15th over they had reached 130 for three having inched ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis total of 128.

The weather relented and the players returned but it made no difference to the outcome as Chesney Hughes and Wayne Madsen pressed the accelerator to see the Falcons home with seven balls to spare.

Madsen ended on 59 and Hughes 43 as the pair added an unbroken 97 in nine overs.

It means the Rapids have now lost three of their last four games with the other being a no-result.

Fit-again skipper Wes Durston set the tone for the Falcons reply with a rapid 32 in an opening stand of 48 in five overs with Hamish Rutherford.

Durston eventually heaved across the line and was bowled by Henry.

Kyle Abbott conceded 28 runs in his first two overs on his home debut but then held onto a fine low catch at long off to dismiss Rutherford (37) in Joe Leach’s first over.

Leach, the leading wicket-taker in the T20 Blast this summer, collected his 18th wicket of the campaign when Neil Broom (six) was caught on the cover boundary.

But Hughes struck the Rapids vice-captain for two sixes to keep the visitors in contention before the rain break.

On their return Madsen took over the mantle of chief aggressor and reached his half-century off 31 balls with three sixes and four fours as the visitors eased to victory.

Earlier, Cox hit a brilliant half-century as he and Henry rescued the Rapids and enabled them to post a competitive total.

The hosts - who had not arrived back from Thursday’s T20 Blast clash at Durham until 3.30am - looked set to be skittled fairly cheaply after slumping to 38 for four and then 79 for six, but Cox and Henry turned things round.

The wicketkeeper smashed two sixes and seven fours in his 29-ball knock and Henry was equally effective in making his runs from just 15 deliveries.

The eighth-wicket pair bludgeoned 62 off four overs and 41 from the last two as Worcestershire closed on 185 for seven, but it was not enough in the end.