WORCESTERSHIRE director of cricket Steve Rhodes has praised the hard work of big-hitting all-rounder Ross Whiteley.

Whiteley has put in a string of impressive displays against Yorkshire, scoring 270 runs in three innings against the Headingley outfit.

Yorkshire’s impressive attack includes former England bowlers Liam Plunkett, Tim Bresnan, Ryan Sidebottom and Adil Rashid.

Whiteley smashed five sixes in his 77 off just 51 balls in his latest effort against Yorkshire as Rapids crashed to a 133-run defeat in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Rhodes said: “Ross has got 270 runs in three innings against Yorkshire and that’s testament to the good form he is in but also the hard work he has put in.

“People might think these things come easy but a lot of hard work goes into practice in trying to get things right. He has put in the work and now he deserves some reward.

“He has shown once again he can hit a very clean ball and hopefully there is a lot more to come in this competition and the rest of the season from Ross.”

Whiteley also hit 91 not out off 35 balls with 11 sixes in a NatWest T20 Blast clash at Headingley and scored a century in the LV= County Championship Division One match against the champions at Scarborough.

Meanwhile, Worcestershie Rapids’ Royal London One-Day Cup game tomorrow against Surrey at The Oval has been put back to 2pm for live coverage under lights by Sky Sports. The Rapids will arrive home in the early hours of Wednesday morning with little time to recuperate before facing Gloucestershire later the same day.

Worcestershire then start a vital home LV= County Championship match with Nottinghamshire at New Road on Friday.

n Tickets have now gone on sale to the general public for Worcestershire Rapids' home quarter-final with Hampshire in the NatWest T20 Blast on August 14.

It is Rapids’ first home game in the last eight.