WORCESTERSHIRE might have fallen short in their quest to reach the NatWest T20 Blast finals day but the Rapids have provided some top-quality entertainment this season.

Defeat to Surrey Lions at the Kia Oval last Saturday was the County’s second quarter-final defeat in three seasons and third in total.

On each occasion they have been away from New Road, also losing at Yorkshire in 2012 and Gloucestershire in 2007.

The luck of the draw may have been against them again this year but they can look back on their campaign with pride.

Having rebranded themselves as the Rapids, there has certainly been some quickfire stuff from Steve Rhodes’ side over the past few months.

Entertainment has not been in short supply at New Road and the crowds have been lapping it up.

While captain Daryl Mitchell has led the way with the bat, the competition has unearthed the talent of Richard Oliver, with the former Shropshire skipper earning himself a contract at New Road.

Ross Whiteley also has a penchant for a six, smashing nine alone in the 28-run victory over former employers Derbyshire Falcons last month.

The 25-year-old left-armer also brought the fans to their feet with his match-winning six against Durham Dynamos in June.

With the ball, Chris Russell has come to the fore, particularly at the latter stages of an innings, while Mitchell proved more than capable following his five-for against Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

Twenty20 specialist Colin Munro and fellow overseas stars Saeed Ajmal, and latterly Mitchell McClenaghan, have also shown why the County snapped them up.

While Worcestershire will only be onlookers when the finals day takes place at Edgbaston on August 23, they can take a crumb of comfort from knowing they played their part in lighting up this year’s tournament.

Maybe next season they will make it fourth time lucky.