WORCESTERSHIRE suffered their first washout in the NatWest T20 Blast North Group this season when tonight's meeting with Nottinghamshire fell victim to a thunderstorm at New Road.

Surface water from earlier rain greeted Notts when they arrived and umpires Nick Cook and Paul Baldwin were forced to call off any hopes of play shortly after 7pm with parts of the ground under water after another downpour.

As the team playing catch-up in the group, the call-off was probably a bigger setback for the visitors, who remain four points behind the County with a game in hand, which they will play against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge tomorrow.

For leaders Worcestershire, the disappointment was in being unable to extend by far and away their best sequence in the competition.

They won six games in a row, starting at Trent Bridge five weeks ago with a first success against the Outlaws in Twenty20 cricket.

Director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "We were hoping to get back into action after a week's break but to be washed out is frustrating."

But second-placed Lancashire's derby at Yorkshire was also wrecked by the rain.

Worcestershire now host fourth-placed Glamorgan in LV= County Championship Division Two at New Road, starting on Sunday (11am).

The County are just one point behind table-toppers Hampshire in second spot and 30 clear of the Welsh visitors.

England international Moeen Ali, who scored a maiden Test century for his nation against Sri Lanka at Headingley, will return to the hosts' team but is unavailable for 20-over cricket.