WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids have two of the top five leading six-hitters in the 2017 NatWest T20 Blast.

Middle-order batsman Ross Whiteley and converted opener Joe Clarke have demonstrated awesome striking power for Rapids.

Whiteley’s powerful striking in white-ball cricket has been well known for several years and he has cleared the fence on 17 occasions this summer.

His tally includes six sixes in an over from Yorkshire Vikings spinner Karl Carver at Headingley last month.

The 28-year-old has continued in the vein which brought him 29 T20 Blast sixes in 2015, a figure only equalled by Chris Gayle, and another 15 last year.

Clarke’s emergence as a six hitter has happened this summer after he admitted to being disappointed with his contributions in T20 in 2016.

The England Lions player has struck 15 sixes with eight during Sunday’s stunning 124 not out off 53 balls in the win against Durham Jets.

He also has the highest strike-rate of the leading six-hitters in the country of 196.05 per innings and has scored 298 runs at an average of 49.66.