WORCESTERSHIRE Royals’ director of cricket Steve Rhodes was angry with the way his side fielded in their seven-wicket defeat to Warwickshire Bears in the Twenty20 Cup.

After praising his team in the field following the opening two games, Rhodes was clearly upset at the way they went about their jobs at New Road last night.

Having posted a total of 141-4, a score Rhodes felt his side could defend, Warwickshire eased home with 10-balls to spare with a fine unbeaten 61 from Jonathan Trott.

“There have been a few harsh words said in the dressing room because they deserved it,” said Rhodes.

“Our ground fielding was very poor and for us to have beaten Warwickshire we needed to bowl well and field very, very well.

“There were some mis-fields, four byes and on top of that we bowled nine wides and that is not good enough.

“The fielding in previous games has been good so that make this very confusing.”

Having lost the toss, the Royals were put in and started reasonably well. Skipper Vikram Solanki went on to hit his second half-century of the competition and Graeme Hick, who equalled Graham Gooch's appearances record of 1195, put on 44 for the first wicket with the 42-year-old batsman out for 18.

But the Bears’ bowlers, Chris Woakes apart, were tidy, hitting line and length and not bowling any wides.

Neil Carter was the pick of the Warwickshire attack with his four overs going for just 14 and he picked up that wicket of Hick.

Former England spinner Ian Salisbury claimed two wickets, with Ant Botha taking the other.

The Royals looked as if they were going to keep the Bears in check early on with the opening five overs going for just 28.

But it was the sixth over that saw things start to unravel as mis-fields from Moeen Ali and Stephen Moore meant Magoffin’s third over went for 13.

Simon Jones got his first taste of Twenty20 cricket and after his first over he must have felt that he was enjoying it with just two runs and the wicket of Jonathan Troughton coming from it, but his second over went for 20 and the winning runs came from his fourth over.

The Royals now need to pick up a victory tomorrow night when they host Somerset.