STEVE Rhodes is calling on his players to reproduce the same level of intensity they showed in Worcestershire's four-run win over Warwick-shire at Edgbaston when the two sides go head-to-head at New Road this evening (5.30pm).

The County's director of cricket believes another performance like Friday's triumph will be good enough for his side to maintain their Twenty20 Cup hoodoo over their old rivals.

Rhodes said: "We have won our last few Twenty20 matches with Warwickshire, which is a real bonus for us.

"Warwickshire is our closest derby and the one with a real rivalry. It was pleasing to win at Edgbaston in front of 18,000 fans last week. We have won the last couple against them and if we can maintain the same level of intensity tonight, we will have a good chance of winning again."

Although it looks unlikely either team will progress to the quarter-final stage of the competition, it is sure to be a keenly-contested affair as is the case whenever the neighbouring counties meet.

Worcestershire are definitely out of the quarter-final reckoning, while Warwick-shire need results to go in their favour to reach the knock-out stage.

This evening, Worcester-shire's pace bowling burden will fall on Matt Mason and Roger Sillence as Kabir Ali is still nursing the bruised foot he sustained against Glouces-tershire and Zaheer Khan is set to be rested.

Despite being ruled out by injury, Kabir is eagerly anticipating the game. He said: "It's always great to play in these local derbies -- it's something we all look forward to.

"It was a massive disappointment that I sustained the injury to my left foot during Gloucestershire's visit to New Road, which ruled me out of this evening's game.

"My foot is still too badly bruised to play, but I'm definitely looking forward tocheering the Royals on in what's sure to be another nail-biter!"

The match, the final Twenty-20 meeting to take place at New Road this season, is a sell-out and more than 5,000 fans are expected.