Worcestershire Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes is delighted Ross Whiteley has transferred his one-day form into the first class game – and cites the example of Australian opener David Warner as to what is possible when making that switch.
The former Derbyshire all-rounder,who has just signed a new four year contract with Worcestershire, had primarily made an impact at New Road in white ball cricket with a series of power-hitting displays.
Who will forget his 84 off 38 balls against Derbyshire or his 91 not out off 35 deliveries against Yorkshire in the NatWest T20 Blast.
But Whiteley justified the faith shown in being recalled by Rhodes to the LV = County Championship side against Yorkshire at Scarborough mid-way through last month with a superb hundred.
He followed that up with 34 and 78 against Nottinghamshire at New Road and another fine innings of 78 not out in the rain-ruined clash with Somerset at Taunton this week.
Rhodes said: "Ross is a wonderful striker of a ball and an electric fielder. You can see why he is one of the first names on the team sheet in one-day formats.
"Transferring that to four-day cricket has taken its time and I was so delighted that he scored that 100 up at Yorkshire, had another good knock against Notts and carried that form on.
"It was a little bit of a hunch to be honest to play Ross up at Scarborough and he repaid us with a very good hundred.
"I think if you look at someone like David Warner who started off playing a lot of T20 and 50 over cricket and what a wonderful Test opener he is now, then certainly it can be done.
"You can transfer your form as well as the way you play into the longer format."
Rhodes had been aware of Whiteley's potential when at Derbyshire before bringing him to New Road mid-way through the 2013 campaign.
He said: "What attracted me to sign him? I fancied him for his striking of a cricket ball and his fielding and his ability to bowl as well.
"But at that time he had already played for England in the Hong Kong Sixes and he was the type of guy that would add some ammunition to what we needed – people who could clear the ropes in one-day cricket.
"He was always capable of doing that. He had done that against us on a couple of occasions and I paid attention to some of his other knocks for Derby.
"Some were short and sweet in one-day cricket but they were quite effective."
