VIKRAM Solanki hit a sparkling 90 but Worcestershire could not keep up with the required run-rate to overtake Warwickshire's 196-7 in their final Twenty20 Cup game of the season.

Jonathan Trott top-scored for the visitors, but Alex Loudon did the damage, taking 4-20 off his allotted four overs.

The hosts ended on 185-6 -- 11 runs short, yet rivals Warwickshire also failed to reach the quarter-finals due to an inferior run-rate to Kent and Yorkshire, who sealed the two 'lucky loser' spots.

Yesterday's results left Worcestershire rooted to the bottom of the Mid/Wales/West table and the competition has been a disappointment once again.

Director of cricket Steve Rhodes will hope the Twenty20 interlude will not have affected his side's Liverpool Victoria County Championship form.

He wants them to maintain their division two promotion push when they return to four-day cricket next week.

Warwickshire made a bright start and looked comfortable on their way to 45 in the sixth over, before Mark Wagh was run out by Graeme Hick.

Gareth Batty came on in the seventh over and was reverse-swept for successive fours by Knight before a steepling six into the New Road End.

However, the left-hander perished when, having reached a quick-fire 41, he got a leading edge in Lou Vincent's first over and was caught by Solanki at mid-on.

Vincent then removed Michael Powell, but Trott played shots around the wicket on his way to 61 until he was caught by Solanki off Roger Sillence with the score on 147.

The home captain's safe hands were called upon again in the 17th over when he held on at deep mid-wicket to remove Loudon for 12 off the bowling of Batty.

Batty then provided Vincent with his third wicket when he caught Tim Ambrose on the cover boundary.

Silence uprooted Neil Carter's off-stump, but Dougie Brown and captain Heath Streak saw the visitors to 196-7 off their 20 overs.

For the second game running, Vincent was run out as Worcestershire lost their first wicket with the score on 20.

Solanki joined Hick and the pair continued where they left off against Somerset by regularly finding the boundary.

They put on 65 in just seven overs before Loudon bowled Hick for 26.

Ben Smith then picked out Wagh in the deep off Loudon having made just four. The former Kent bowler then bowled Batty first ball.

The flurry of wickets stalled the run-rate, so Rhodes sent in Sillence in a bid to regain some momentum but he was expertly caught by Brown, diving forward at mid-wicket, for Loudon's fourth wicket.

Stephen Moore and Steve Davies tried gamely, but the Warwickshire bowlers held their nerve to seal victory.