ross whiteley scored his maiden list a century as worcestershire rapids went down by 38 runs in a high-scoring encounter with leicestershire foxes at the fischer county ground.
the all-rounder smashed 131 off 83 balls with four sixes and 14 fours to revive worcestershire’s hopes of victory after they had been 24-4 in reply to the foxes 377-4.
his superb effort surpassed his previous best score of 77 against yorkshire at New Road in 2015.
brett d’oliveira (57) and ed barnard, also with a career best white ball contribution of 61, provided excellent support but in the end worcestershire were dismissed for 339 in 46.2 overs.
leicestershire’s total was the highest score against worcestershire in 50 over cricket and there were major contributions from harry rearden and centurions colin ackermann and lewis hill although the visitors put down several catches.
the foxes opted to bat but were rocked by a double strike from paceman charlie morris in the opening over of their innings.
paul horton (0) was squared up by the fourth ball of the over and nicked through to tom fell who held onto a good catch at first slip.
two balls later mark cosgrove (0) went for an expansive shot and dragged the ball back onto his stumps to leave the foxes on 5-2.
rearden and ackermann then rebuilt the innings with a partnership of 170 in 29 overs, reaching their half centuries off 46 and 59 balls respectively.
josh tongue, who had shared the new ball with morris, returned to the attack to break the stand.
he went around the wicket to dearden (91) and he clipped the ball straight to short mid wicket with the total 175-3 in the 30th over.
but hill joined ackermann and the pair added exactly 200 in 20.1 overs.
hill made 118 off 62 balls with four sixes and 16 fours before he was caught on the leg side boundary in the final over of the innings from tongue.
ackermann remained undefeated on 152 from 143 balls with two sixes and 15 fours.
tongue ended with 1-0-79-2, morris 9-1-80-2, wayne parnell 8-0-70-0, ed barnard 9-0-61-0, daryl mitchell 7-0-38-0, brett d’oliveira 4-0-29-0 and ross whiteley 3-0-18-0.
worcestershire lost early wickets in reply. riki wessels (0) went to cut dieter klein and was caught behind and fell (7) top-edged a tom taylor delivery and was caught by cosgrove in the square leg region.
mitchell (0) tried to flick away a klein delivery and was taken at first slip and hamish rutherford (8) was tucked up and lbw to the same bowler at 24-4.
ben cox (22) and brett d’oliveira added 51 before the former went across his stumps and was bowled behind his legs by gavin griffiths.
whiteley then joined d’oliveira and the pair added 89 in 12 overs – a county record for the sixth wicket against leicestershire.
d’oliveira reached his half century off 50 balls with four boundaries and whiteley went to his fifty off 41 balls with six boundaries.
the stand was ended when d’oliveira (57) lofted ackermann to long on.
whiteley produced some typically dazzling hitting and a top edge for six off klein took him to 99 before he completed his hundred from 73 balls.
the stand of 116 in 11.1 overs with barnard was also a worcestershire best against leicestershire.
will davis ended the stand when he bowled whiteley with a slower ball and, after the dismissal of parnell and tongue, barnard brought up his half century off 46 balls.
he went past his previous best list a score of 51 versus somerset at the cooper associates ground in 2015 before finally he was last out, caught on the boundary off klein.
