OVERSEAS signing Mitchell Santner believes the Worcestershire Rapids "are not far away" despite losing for a second game in a row in the Vitality Blast. 

The Rapids were, for the second consecutive match, defeated in the final over on Wednesday night as they went down by four wickets to Lancashire Lightning in Blackpool. 

Having won their opening four games of the tournament, the Rapids have fallen off the top of the North Group table but remain level on points with new leaders Durham and Santner is confident his team are close to being where they want to be. 

"It was another tight loss for us. I thought we bowled exceptionally well in the powerplay and the few overs after that," he said.

"But they needed 120 off the last ten overs, which can happen against some good players. It’s tough to stop Jos (Buttler) when he’s going.

"There were a couple of things. The last couple of overs of our innings with the bat, we wanted 190, which might have been enough out there. Then, trying to close overs out at the end.

"We’re doing some good stuff and falling a little bit at times. We are losing close games. We are not far away."

Lancashire needed 18 runs off the final two overs but some loose bowling from Adam Finch proved costly in a 14-run 19th over. 

Santner had scored his maiden T20 fifty for Worcestershire after being put into bat and Adam Hose added 42 from 29 deliveries as the visitors posted 177-9.

But Daryl Mitchell whacked 33 from 14 to secure victory for the home side and leave the Rapids thinking what might have been. 

"With the new ball, it looked challenging when you hit the wicket. Luke Wood bowled very well in the powerplay, and it flattened out a bit as we went along," added Santner.

"We lost wickets in the last couple of overs which halted our progress, whereas they got 13-14 runs off each of the last five overs, which is good batting."