DIRECTOR of cricket Steve Rhodes was left to reflect on what might have been after seeing Worcestershire Royals fall foul of the Duckworth-Lewis method for the second time this season.

Having lost their opening Clydesdale Bank 40 Group ‘A’ match against The Netherlands by nine wickets under the system last month, the County were edged out by 12 runs at Lancashire Lightning on Tuesday.

This time, however, Worcestershire had extra reason to feel aggrieved after Vikram Solanki and Phil Hughes both struck centuries at Old Trafford.

Solanki fired a 107-ball 121 while Australian left-hander Hughes made 104 off 111 balls as the visitors reached 259-9, losing a flurry of late wickets.

Former Royal Stephen Moore (60 not out) made light work of Lancashire’s rain-revised total of 131 off 19 overs, reaching 95-1 after 14.1, and that proved enough for victory when the weather forced an end to the match.

Rhodes, whose side lost the toss and were put in by their hosts, said: “When there’s rain around in cricket it’s difficult to get a true reflection.

“You could argue that we were a little bit pick-pocketed because how many times do you get two guys who score centuries in a one-day game and end up on the losing side? I have never been involved in one.

“The Duckworth-Lewis method is a good system but it’s not infallible.

“When you win the toss, you would rather put the opposition in so you know what you have got to keep up with, but it’s the same for both sides.

“Maybe Duckworth-Lewis is questionable but I would reiterate that it’s as good a system as they have got.”

However, the County chief thought his side, who have won two and lost two of their four games to date, could have done more to aid their cause.

Rhodes added: “You hear football managers talk about rough decisions but you have to look at your own game and I feel that we should have bowled better with the new ball.

“If we had done that we might well have put them under pressure. But I do feel Vikram and Phil got two wonderful centuries, sadly the way the system is they (Lancashire) got one player who scored 60 not out and won the game.

“It doesn’t seem right, they might have got the score, but that’s the way cricket is.”