YORKSHIRE Vikings' James Wharton produced a superb innings as his 111* condemned the Worcestershire Rapids to a third-straight defeat in the Vitality Blast.

Wharton put on a huge 159-run second-wicket partnership with Dawid Malan (79) to take the game from the visitors, who could only take four wickets as Yorkshire racked up 224 from their 20 overs. 

Rapids' Brett D'Oliveira scored 47 and Kashif Ali (48) and Ben Cox (35) went down fighting towards the end but they came up short, losing by 26 runs. 

Michael Bracewell, who retired injured whilst batting, had taken an early wicket when Brett D'Oliveira caught Adam Lyth for 2 in the second over. 

But that would be the only breakthrough until the 15th over as Wharton and Malan produced boundary after boundary to take the score out to 170 before Malan finally fell to Bracewell, this time caught by Adam Hose. 

The hosts were three wickets down when Shan Masood was caught by D'Oliveira off the bowling of Mitchell Santner in the next over. 

But Wharton scored 18 runs off the 18th over to add further runs to the total before David Wiese was run out by Ben Cox looking for a couple more runs to end the innings. 

Bracewell scored 11 runs in the reply before he had to retire hurt, replaced by Jack Haynes, who scored six runs before becoming the first wicket at 28/1. 

D'Oliveira looked in good touch at one end but the in-form Hose only lasted five deliveries as he was caught by Jonathan Tattersall off the bowling of Jordan Thompson. for 11. 

Santner came to the crease and together with D'Oliveira, the pair looked to speed up the chase, adding 59 runs for the fourth wicket.

The skipper hit Matt Revis for a four and a six before being caught looking to go beyond the ropes by Ben Mike for 47 off 31. 

Santner soon followed, again looking to go for six, as Lyth took the catch in the deep off Jordan Thompson. 

Ali and Cox came in and kept the chase alive before the pair threw caution to the wind and Cox fell for 35 to all but end their chances. 

Ed Pollock was out first ball to Thompson, who made it two wickets in two balls, and in the end, the Rapids fell to a 26-run defeat.