YORKSHIRE Phoenix were frustrated by bad weather in their Friends Provident Trophy match against Worcestershire Royals at Headingley Carnegie.

Light rain during the interval after Worcestershire had made a modest 215 for seven off their 50 overs left Yorkshire with a revised target of 214 from 49 overs when play resumed.

Their initial aim under Duckworth-Lewis regulations was to reach 24 without loss from the first 10 overs to make a match of it but with six scored off the first 10 balls the rain set in for good and the points had to be shared.

Graeme Hick led the way for Worcestershire with an unbeaten 86 from 87 deliveries with five fours and two sixes but accurate bowling had restricted his side to 173 for seven in 47 overs when they was a brief interruption for drizzle.

On the resumption, Hick and Kabir Ali burst into life by thrashing 42 off the final three overs with Yorkshire skipper, Darren Gough, coming in for harsh treatment.

Kabir Ali helped himself to four consecutive boundaries off the last four balls of the 48th over from Gough and when Hick faced him for the final over he lashed the first three balls for two sixes and a four, one of the big hits landing on top of the grandstand roof.

The eighth wicket pair put on an unbroken 46 together off 22 balls, Kabir Ali finishing on 22 from 11 balls with four boundaries.

Apart from the late onslaught on Gough, whose 10 overs cost 68 for the wicket of opener Stephen Moore, Yorkshire bowled extremely tidily and gave little away with only captain Vikram Solanki offering any early resistance.

He had moved to 46 from 87 balls with three boundaries before being stunningly caught right-handed by Richard Pyrah at point to bring paceman, Tim Bresnan, the first of three wickets for 43 runs in nine overs.

Pyrah also excelled with his medium pacers and gave away only 31 runs for the wickets of Ben Smith and Steven Davies who both drove catches to Gough.

Some of the most skilful bowling, however, came from leg-spinner, Adil Rashid, who was making his debut in the competition. He clean bowled Phil Jaques and gave away just 27 runs from his ten overs.

Kabir Ali opened up with a wide to Craig White who then glanced him to the boundary but after Nadeem Malik had sent down four deliveries the players were forced to leave the field.