Worcestershire's interest in the Royal London One-Day Cup came to an end for 2014 when they were beaten by 16 runs by Leicestershire Foxes under the Duckworth Lewis Method at Grace Road today.
The visitors needed to win their final Group A match to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals and another fine innings from Tom Fell with great support from skipper Daryl Mitchell helped them to post a competitive 202-9 in their 34 overs.
It was an above par score given the helpful conditions for bowling after Leicestershire had won a crucial toss.
But Leicestershire were ahead of the required rate when a heavy downpour ended the match with their total on 93-2 after 15.4 overs with the Worcestershire attack not always finding the right areas.
Play did not get underway until 1pm and Worcestershire made two changes from the side beaten on Wednesday by Gloucestershire with Mitchell McClenaghan and Jack Shantry rested and replaced by Chris Russell and Shaaiq Choudhry.
Mitchell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore had to be extremely watchful against the new ball attack of Charlie Shreck and Anthony Ireland and the mandatory seven over powerplay realised 14 runs.
Kohler-Cadmore (6) was bowled by Ollie Freckingham, playing his first match of the season after injury, with 18 on the board.
But then Fell picked up three successive fours off Freckingham as he and Mitchell started to wrestle control away from the Leicestershire bowlers.
Fell went to his 50 off 45 balls with eight fours – his third successive half century in the competition – while Mitchell was prepared to play the supporting role.
The pair added 104 in 17.4 overs to take Worcestershire to 122-1 in the 26th over. Mitchell (41) holed out to mid on off Shreck and then Fell's fine knock of 73 from 61 balls ended when he was caught behind off Shiv Thakor.
Ross Whiteley hit a rapid 22 off 12 balls with four fours before he became another of Thakor's four victims.
Wickets then fell at regular intervals until Joe Leach's unbeaten 27 off 16 deliveries guided Worcestershire past the 200 mark.
The wicket had started to dry out as Charlie Morris began with a maiden to Leicestershire opener Angus Robson but Russell, in his first One-Day Cup appearance of the the season, had a battle to find his rhythm.
Morris made the first breakthrough when Niall O'Brien (23) was bowled off the bottom edge after he backed away.
Eight runs later it became 45-2 in the eighth over when Robson (13) drove at Leach and fell to a sharp gulley catch by Gareth Andrew.
But that was Worcestershire's last success and Greg Smith and Matthew Boyce ensured the home side edged ahead under the D-L system before the heavens opened.
