New captain Joe Leach believes consistency will be a key factor for Worcestershire CCC going forward and says the County "should not be scared of anyone."
Leach has faith in the current squad to gain promotion and challenge for glory in white ball cricket.
The 25-year-old reveals more of his hopes for the future in part two of a question and answer session with the Worcestershire CCC website.
Question: Is consistency the key thing going forward?
Joe Leach: "That is exactly it. High standards and a little bit of a shift away from allowing people to make mistakes and I use that terms loosely – 'allowing' – because obviously people don't mean to make mistakes.
"But we need to make sure we are being a bit tougher on people because we should be a good side and I am confident I've taken over a side that is capable of winning Division Two next year and winning one of those white ball competitions."
Question: "It will be a big challenge with Notts and now Durham being relegated?
Joe Leach: "It is but that's no different to how it was last season. You'd expect Sussex to re-emerge as one of the better sides as well.
"But we were in Division One two years ago playing against Notts and Durham and we probably should have beaten both of them.
"We've also had a couple of very good performances against Sussex this season.
"I don't think we should be scared of anyone and we want people to be talking about us in that kind of bracket and that's what we want rather than people saying there are a couple of big teams in the division.
"Well why can't Worcestershire be a big team in the division. That is the way we certainly should be thinking."
Question: No doubt you are expecting 100 per cent support from Daryl Mitchell as a Worcestershire man and player through and through?
Joe Leach: "He has been fantastic already. He spoke to me straight away and said he is fully supportive of me getting the job although he is a bit disappointed for himself.
"I am sure, come the start of the season, he will be ready and raring to go and is someone I will be relying on as a senior player, a senior batter, to score big runs and also to give me a bit of a helping hand."
Question: "At the start of the 2014 and 2015 season,s you were not in the side. You have made massive leaps forward?
Joe Leach: "Yes, I have but I've had three very good seasons now and I'm confident that I can perform consistently.
"The last two seasons in particularly, on a personal I could not have wished for much more really and I'm confident with where my cricket is at.
"I understand the captaincy might put a bit of a strain on that at times but that's up to me to deal with that and I'm confident I can do so."
Question: You said you were determined to maintain your form to the very end of the season and achieved that?
Joe Leach: "That is something I made a concious shift with and hopefully I will hit the ground running going into the start of next season now.
"Everything that has gone wrong this last year, not starting off with the bat as well as I would have liked…..hopefully I can put together a full six months of prolonged cricket whilst leading the side to what we want to achieve."
