A WHIRLWIND unbeaten 91 from Ross Whiteley fired Worcestershire Rapids to an emphatic 74-run victory against Yorkshire Vikings in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Whiteley cracked 11 sixes and two fours in a remarkable 35-ball innings which propelled the Rapids to 191-6 from 20 overs in the crucial match at Headingley.

The impressive Saeed Ajmal took 2-21 from four overs and Jack Shantry bagged 2-26 as Yorkshire were dismissed for just 117 in 17 overs.

Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell also had a fine match, making 49 from 45 balls, claiming the key wicket of England’s Jonathan Bairstow for just four and he was also involved in the run-out of Will Rhodes for 10.

The comprehensive win keeps Worcestershire second in the North Group and on track for a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Worcestershire have a total of 16 points from 12 matches and will be looking for two victories from their two remaining pool fixtures to guarantee home advantage in the last eight.

Worcestershire meet bottom-placed Derbyshire at Derby in their penultimate group fixture on Friday and then host Lancashire Lightning at New Road on July 24.

Worcestershire, who won the toss and chose to bat, looked in a spot of bother when they were restricted to 68-4 from 10 overs.

Richard Oliver (13) was the first Rapids wicket to fall, caught by Tim Bresnan off the bowling of Liam Plunkett, with the total at 23.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore was dismissed for eight and New Zealander Colin Munro, who is struggling with the bat, also perished for just eight.

When Brett D’Oliveira fell for four, Whiteley came to the crease with Worcestershire in trouble at 63-4.

The fifth-wicket stand between Mitchell and Whiteley repaired the damage and took the visitors to 124 before the captain was bowled by Plunkett.

The clean-hitting Whiteley was in a destructive mood, reaching his half-century from 24 balls with six sixes and one four.

With Worcestershire at 141-5 from 17 overs, Whiteley increased the run-rate with some explosive hitting which lifted the hosts to an impressive total.

In reply, three Yorkshire batsmen - Jack Leaning (27), captain Andrew Gale (24) and opener Alex Lees (20) - all made starts but were not able to repeat Whiteley’s feat.

D’Oliveira claimed three wickets, finishing with 3-29 from four overs, as Yorkshire slipped to 69-6.

The hosts struggled to build any significant partnerships and, perhaps fittingly, Whiteley took the catch which sealed Worcestershire’s win off Shantry’s bowling.