Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach says the return of Logan van Beek will provide a vital injection of energy into the squad for the climax of a six-month season.
The Dutch international is back at Visit Worcestershire New Road for the final four Vitality County Championship matches of the season, beginning with Thursday’s trip to face Essex at Chelmsford.
Van Beek had a successful spell with Worcestershire at the tail-end of last season, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the Metro Bank One Day Cup and gain promotion to Division One of the County Championship.
The 33-year-old flew into England on Monday and was a popular figure in the dressing room and with members and supporters.
Leach said: “It is terrific to have Logan back. Last year, when he came at a similar time, he brought a lot of energy to the group.
“We know he’s got obvious qualities that he first brought to Derbyshire and then to us last year.
“Really looking forward to having him back. He fits into the changing room well, and his energy is infectious.
“At the end of a long season, to have someone of his character and nature is really good for a dressing room just to give us a bit of a boost.
“Also, he brings that confidence of having a bit more quality on the park. We know what he can do.
“He helped us last year, and hopefully, he can do the same this year.”
Van Beek arrives at New Road in good form with the ball after finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the Max60 T10 competition in the Caribbean.
He picked up 14 wickets in nine games – played in the space of six days – at an average of 12.85 to help the Jaguars qualify for the Super Three knockout stages.
Van Beek’s best return was 3-16 against Boca Raton Trailblazers, but he also had figures of 2-9, 2-11 and twice 2-24.
His team-mates included Alex Hales, Jake Lintott, Saif Zaib, Ross Whiteley and former Worcestershire pace bowler Mitchell McClenaghan.
Leach was also full of praise for the way in which the new signing, New Zealand pace bowler James Hartshorn, slotted into the Worcestershire attack on his debut in the Championship win over Kent at New Road.
Hartshorn bowled a nagging line and length in Kent’s first innings, which brought him figures of 1-18 from 12 overs. In the second innings, he picked up the prize wicket of double century-maker Tawanda Muyeye.
Leach said: “I thought he took to it really well. He’s not had as much experience as some of the overseas you see.
“But the way he took to it, a Dukes ball, new conditions, new team, I thought he was exceptional.”
Head Coach Alan Richardson wants Worcestershire to emulate the performance in the eight-wicket win over Kent, which lifted them to sixth in the table.
He said: “It depends on how much importance you place on the table right now compared to the end of the season.
“I look at the performance first and foremost, and the result against Kent was a reward for the fine performance we put in over three and a bit of days.
“Our task now in the remaining four games is to try and hit those standards as much as we can for as long as we can.
“The complete performance? That is not always the case, but it felt like people made valuable contributions either individually or as a partnership throughout.
“But every game in Division One is really difficult, no more so than going to Essex on their patch.”
The Kookaburra ball will again be in use for the next two rounds of County Championship matches, in Worcestershire’s case against Essex and the home fixture with Warwickshire starting on September 9.
Richardson said: “Whoever it is, their job and their task, whether with bat or ball, is to find ways of being effective with the Kookaburra ball.
“One of the beauties of English county cricket is we get to play on all types of different surfaces and then you add in a slightly different ball as well, and it’s what helps cricketers evolve and get better.
“They are not playing the same game time and time again. They are having to think on their feet and plan ahead accordingly and all those sort of scenarios that change from game to game.”
On loan, Surrey spinner Amar Virdi will also be part of the squad at Chelmsford and will be available for the remaining four Championship matches of the campaign.
He had a one-game loan spell at New Road earlier in the season and played in the win over Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside.
