MARTIN Guptill says playing Vitality Blast cricket for Worcestershire Rapids is the best antidote for getting over ICC World Cup final disappointment with New Zealand.

He was run out in the super over against England going for the run which would have brought trophy glory to the Black Caps at Lord’s.

Eoin Morgan’s side won by virtue of the most boundaries scored in the final with Guptill and his team-mates having to settle for a second successive runners-up spot.

It left the opener feeling drained at the end of the tournament but within four days he was back in action during his second spell with Rapids who he helped to win the Blast last summer.

He said: “After the World Cup I think just getting back and playing cricket in a different set-up around different people, to get back on the horse straight away (with Worcestershire), was the best thing for me.

“It was an emotional few days and I was pretty drained by the end of it but to come here after a few days off and to get back into it was good.

“How hard has it been? I try not to think about it. Everyone else keeps asking me about it (the World Cup) and that’s the only time I think about it!

“I’m just trying to get on with it and to do my best for Worcestershire.”

Rapids entertain Guptill’s former county Derbyshire Falcons on Wednesday at Blackfinch New Road (5pm), visit Yorkshire Vikings on Friday and host Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday.

Birthday boy Wayne Parnell chalked up a personal T20 milestone during Rapids' nine-wicket home win over Durham on Sunday.

Left-armer Parnell, who celebrated his 30th birthday today, chalked up his 200th wicket in T20 cricket with 41 of them for South Africa.

He reached the double hundred mark when he trapped Durham batsman Liam Trevaskis lbw.

His 200 wickets have come at an average of 24.90 and an economy rate of 7.77.

Fourteen of Parnell’s T20 victims came last summer when he was second highest wicket-taker for Rapids behind Pat Brown and helped them to Vitality Blast trophy glory.

Port Elizabeth-born Parnell made his T20 baptism in 2008 for Warriors in the Standard Bank Pro20 in South Africa.

His first victim was current South African captain Francois du Plessis.

Since then he has played T20 cricket around the world including stints in the Indian Premier League for Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors.

Barbados Tridents (Caribbean Premier League), Sylhet Sixers (Bangladesh Premier League), Kabul Zwanan (Afghanistan Premier League) and Islamabad United (Pakistan Super League) have also benefitted from his skills and experience.

In addition Parnell has played for Kent, Sussex and Glamorgan in England.

He has also chipped in with useful runs in the short format — a total of 1,301 to date with a highest score of 99 for Cape Cobras in November 2015 as an opener.

First-team coach Alex Gidman has announced a 13-strong squad to face Derbyshire including Tom Fell and Charlie Morris.

Rapids from: Guptill, Wessels, Ferguson, Parnell, D’Oliveira, Cox, Whiteley, Barnard, Mitchell, Pennington, Brown, Fell, Morris.