LONG-SERVING opening batsman Daryl Mitchell is continuing to prove that Worcestershire are in safe hands with him in their side.

Mitchell was the leading fielder in Specsavers County Championship Division One last summer – most of them taken at second slip.

The 35-year-old finished two ahead of Surrey’s Rikki Clarke and has continued in the same vein at the start of the 2019 season.

Mitchell is the leading catcher in Division Two with eight chances safely pouched from the opening three games – one more than Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen.

He has a total of 271 catches to his name in his first-class career.

Charlie Morris is also out on his own as the leading wicket-taker in Division Two.

The Worcestershire paceman has claimed 20 victims from just three matches and also produced two of the top three individual performances with the ball.

Morris’ wickets have come at an average of just 13.60 runs apiece and he is one ahead of Durham’s Chris Rushworth whose 19 at 17.31 have been achieved in four matches.

Next in line is Lancashire’s Richard Gleeson with 16 in two games and three five-wicket hauls in four innings at an average of 12.87.

Blackfinch New Road paceman Josh Tongue, who is fit for Monday’s encounter with Middlesex after recovering from injury, has picked up 12 wickets in two games.

Morris has produced the best individual showing with his career best 7-45 against Leicestershire and the third best in Division Two is his 6-53 versus Durham.

Worcestershire’s leading run-getter is wicket-keeper Ben Cox with 204 at an average of 68.00.

He is also joint third in terms of the number of dismissals in Division Two with eight from three games – seven catches and a stumping.