WORCESTERSHIRE made a stuttering start to their Friends Life t20 campaign as they were completely out-played by Glamorgan in a one-sided game at a gloomy New Road.

Medium-pacer Graham Wagg was the destroyer-in-chief with superb figures of 5-14, the best return by a Glamorgan bowler in 20-over cricket.

The hosts contrived to lose six wickets in just 18 balls as they managed just 102-9 in reply to Glamorgan’s impressive 159-4, which was rounded up to 160 after the Duckworth-Lewis calculations.

The Welsh visitors claimed a convincing 58-run victory in a contest reduced to 14 overs-per-side by rain, thanks mainly to Chris Cooke’s 57 and Wagg’s heroics.

Faced with needing to go at more than 11-an-over to reach their target, Worcestershire came out all guns blazing, with Thilan Samaraweera hitting 14 off Jim Allenby’s opening over.

The Sri Lankan opener unfurled an array of strokes not usually associated with the methodical shot-maker as he reached 26.

However, Wagg bowled the final over of the power-play and struck three times to leave the County innings in tatters. The former Warwickshire all-rounder removed Moeen Ali and Samaraweera in successive balls, before Gareth Andrew, promoted up the order to number three, was bowled second ball for nought.

Overseas signing Andre Russell completed a disappointing debut by following up his three-over spell that cost 38 with another second-ball dismissal.

Alexei Kervezee was stumped by Mark Wallace off a Dean Cosker wide for four, before Aneesh Kapil was trapped lbw next ball as Worcestershire slumped to 50-6. Daryl Mitchell was well caught and bowled by New Zealand overseas player Nathan McCullum, before Ben Cox (27) and Shaaiq Choudhry showed some resolve until the later was caught at short third man by Michael Hogan off the prolific Wagg.

Earlier, Glamorgan made a brisk start to their innings, with wicketkeeper Mark Wallace launching Andre Russell for a big six, before repeating the dose against Jack Shantry.

The left-armer soon had his revenge, though, with a ball that stopped on the batsmen and led to him chipping it to Mitchell at short-midwicket.

A direct-hit from Shantry at short fine-leg accounted for Jim Allenby (37 off 24 balls), after he had put on 53 in five overs with Chris Cooke.

Having gone for 16 in his first over, Andre Russell was revved up for his second and accounted for Cooke with a pacy yorker that beat the batsman’s defences.

However, Aussie batsman Marcus North hit the Jamaican for 10 off the first two balls of the final over, before Mitchell claimed his second catch to dismiss Murray Goodwin, but Glamorgan had more than enough on the board.

Worcestershire will be looking to bounce back quickly when they travel to Bristol on Sunday to take on Gloucestershire (2.30pm).