WORCESTERSHIRE Royals’ winning run in the Friends Life t20 came to an end at Leicestershire Foxes.

Having won their last three matches, they were hoping to reclaim second spot from Leicestershire but the hosts closed out a 19-run victory.

The County went into the match on the back of a comfortable LV= County Championship Division One nine-wicket success over Hampshire and a fine batting display against World Cup finalists Sri Lanka.

But a third wash-out at headquarters on Friday meant Worcestershire could not regain the momentum they had built up in the t20.

Light rain before the start of the game at Grace Road made life difficult for the visitors, while the Foxes were impressive in the field and with the ball. Having won the toss and elected to field first, Worcestershire were under pressure from the start as Josh Cobb got Leicestershire off to a flying start with the bat.

His rapid 30 off 16 balls put the hosts into a good position but fine bowling from Shakib Al Hasan, who picked up 2-11 in his four overs, swung the momentum back to the Royals as the hosts slumped to 58-5 after eight overs.

However, a 54-run partnership between Paul Nixon (44) and Abdul Razzaq (20) saw Leicestershire edge in front once more.

Saeed Ajmal, on his competitive debut for the Royals, picked up three wickets in four overs but Foxes skipper Matthew Hoggard, who came in with only two balls remaining, struck a six and a four to boost his side’s total to 151-8.

Worcestershire never got ahead of the run-rate in reply with Razzaq and Harry Gurney particularly impressive with the new ball.

Vikram Solanki, Alexei Kervezee and Shakib all went quickly as the Royals fell to 44-3 in the ninth over.

Moeen Ali, who hit a career one-day best of 136 against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, shared a good partnership with James Cameron.

But Moeen went for 32 following a fine catch from Wayne White off Cobb, while Cameron top-scored with a 23-ball 36, which included two big sixes.

Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 23 off 14 balls but, by then, the Royals were well behind and their chance of reclaiming second spot in the North group was long gone.