WORCESTERSHIRE director of cricket Steve Rhodes says qualifying for the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals has helped to make up for the “hurt” of missing out on the NatWest T20 Blast knockouts.

Rapids progressed in the 50-over format after wins over Lancashire Lightning and Notts Outlaws in their final two games while other results went their way.

They claimed fourth in the North Group and reached the knockouts for the first time since the competition was rebranded in 2014 with a visit to Somerset awaiting on Wednesday (11am).

Rhodes said: “Missing out on the T20 really hurt us. No one has got a right to qualify and there have been seen some really good teams.

“We were really disappointed so to make it to the 50-over quarter-finals was great news.

“I was really proud of the efforts of the boys to manage to get us through.

“We are delighted to get an opportunity and it is one game at a time now, beginning with Somerset.

“I am delighted for our supporters who will be able to go and watch us in a quarter-final.”

Rhodes says it is mere coincidence all four of Rapids' 50-over victories were achieved batting second and is keen to stress that to his young players.

He said: “One of the dangers is you’ve got to make sure the players aren’t just thinking, ‘We are a chasing side.’

“If you are going to be a good side, you win by setting targets and also by chasing them.

“It is just one of those things. We opted to chase at Notts in the final game because of the weather threat.

“If it had been a good day, we would have batted first.”