Whitty's six-foot tall frame allowed him to swing the new ball considerably, and he also bowled reasonably quick left-arm orthodox deliveries with the older ball. He was seen as the ideal partner for fast bowler Tibby Cotter, and the pair opened the bowling at home against South Africa in 1910–11. This series has been described as Whitty's "greatest Test success", as he played all 5 Tests to take 37 wickets at the outstanding average of 17.08. Whitty took 8 wickets in the first Test, followed by 3 in the first innings of the second Test in Melbourne. In the second innings, with South Africa requiring 170 runs for victory, Whitty produced one of the "most sensational" bowling spells by an Australian in the period, taking 6/17 in 16 overs as South Africa were bowled out for 80. Whitty's good form continued throughout the series, including a further 8 wickets in the third Test, and 5/79 for South Australia against the tourists. In the fourth Test, Whitty produced his best Test performance with the bat, making 39 not out in an 82-run partnership with Vernon Ransford, which remained a record for the 10th wicket in Tests between the two nations until it was broken by Mike Hussey and Glenn McGrath in 2005–06.