STEVE Rhodes has conceded defeat in the race for a Twenty20 quarter-final place admitting that Worcestershire were too inconsistent.

The County head coach says his side's challenge for a knock-out spot is over following the crushing nine-wicket defeat to Gloucestershire Gladiators.

The visitors stormed to a modest victory target of 101 with five overs to spare, leaving a packed New Road disappointed for the second consecutive match.

"Unfortunately, the batting has cost us," admits Rhodes. "We lost wickets every two or three overs and, consequently, we failed to get a big enough score on the board.

"We never gave our bowlers enough chance and the lads know that. It was not the best performance and we understand the crowd would have been disappointed with the result.

"But things are never planned like that. The guys gave their all. You need consistency in one-day cricket and it's something we've lacked in the competition.

"We're pretty much out of the Twenty20, but we've still got two games left and we want to win both."

The Gladiators completed a double over the County and were helped in kind by former New Road opener Phil Weston. He was his side's top scorer with 48 not out and put on 80 for the second wicket with Chris Taylor (33no).

They joined forces after Craig Spearman had been dismissed for 17 to open the way for Weston, dropped while on six by Zander de Bruyn off pace ace Shoaib Akhtar, to blast two sixes and five fours.

Earlier, Worcestershire, after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, made a disastrous start by losing Gareth Batty first ball when he was bowled off stump by paceman Steve Kirby.

It set the scene for a grim struggle for runs by the Royals who were all out for 100 in 18.4 overs, their lowest score so far in the competition.

Their previous lowest had been 114 against Glamorgan Dragons at Cardiff in 2003.

Worcestershire could only muster 11 fours and one six, their tally restricted by a miserly bowling display from man-of-the-match Mark Alleyne whose four overs cost just six runs.

Ben Smith (20) repaired the damage caused by Batty's dismissal, while Graeme Hick (6) soon followed when fending off a Carl Greenidge delivery to Alex Gidman at long leg.

De Bruyn (13), David Leatherdale (15) and Steven Moore (20) chipped in with double-figure efforts, but it was not enough.