WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids' NatWest T20 Blast woes continued with a 13-run defeat at North Group basement boys Durham Jets.

Steve Rhodes' side fell short in reply at Emirates Riverside and they remain six points off the top four who qualify for the quarter-finals with just three games left.

Rapids' seventh defeat of the T20 campaign means their hopes of reaching the knockout stages are effectively over.

England international Keaton Jennings' gentle medium pace earned 2-7 in his first three overs, stifling Rapids after they reached 78-1 after 10 overs in reply to 165-5.

Once Jennings had Ben Cox caught at long-on for 34 the visitors were under pressure and three more batsmen quickly followed.

Mitchell Santner, who had driven Ryan Pringle for an imperious straight six, lifted the off-spinner to deep mid-wicket, Brett D'Oliveira was bowled off his pads by Jennings and Ross Whiteley clubbed Barry McCarthy to long-on.

It was left to Daryl Mitchell and Ed Barnard to score 41 off the last three overs but Rapids finished on 152-5.

Durham produced a spirited display despite their hopeless position while Worcestershire included four young seamers in the absence of John Hastings who has returned to Australia with a foot injury.

Barnard did not get on until the final over with the ball but showed his prowess with the bat in making an unbeaten 34.

The other three youngsters Josh Tongue, George Scrimshaw and Alex Hepburn were entrusted with only five overs between them as Mitchell's gentle medium pace proved more effective.

With 21 needed off the final over Usman Arshad conceded only six runs and a bye with his opening two overs having cost only seven.

A classy innings of 62 off 40 balls from Tom Latham, plus a decisive unbeaten 49 off 30 balls by Michael Richardson, lifted Durham to their competitive total following Jennings' slow start.

He faced five dot balls from Tongue before cutting the sixth for four then failed to score from three more balls from 19-year-old Scrimshaw before Jennings drove without conviction and edged behind.

Latham greeted Santner by sweeping him over square leg for six and after reaching 50 off 33 balls he pulled Hepburn for six and drove him for four before slicing to backward point where Mitchell held a good low catch.

With a little help from Stuart Poynter, Richardson took 49 off the last four overs, hitting four fours and a pulled six.