Worcestershire seamer Joe Leach says the club have put themselves “in the best possible position” to clinch promotion to Division One of the County Championship.
The Pears beat Glamorgan, one of their rivals to go up with runaway leaders Durham, in their last match to clinch a third red-ball win in a row.
Victory kept them in second place, 23 points clear of Leicestershire.
“I think it’s right we acknowledge we’re in a good place,” Leach said.
Worcestershire last got promoted in 2017 and if they can seal the runners-up spot in the division it will be the seventh time they have gone up since the County Championship was split into two divisions in 2000.
Their 80-run win over previously-unbeaten Glamorgan at New Road has given the Pears a valuable cushion going into their last two matches over the resurgent Foxes who have a game in hand.
They play that against Sussex starting on Sunday before facing Yorkshire and Durham in their last two.
Worcestershire also take on the same two opponents, hosting title-seeking Durham in their next game in a fortnight before finishing the season at Headingley.
“We’ve played some really good cricket up to this point to give ourselves the best possible chance,” Leach told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
“If we hold up our end of the bargain for two games, we know what happens at the end of September but we also know the flip of that and that’s why two-division cricket is so exciting.”
Leach feeling near ‘absolute best’
By the time Durham, 48 points clear at the top, visit New Road on 19 September, Worcestershire’s lead over Leicestershire could be wiped out – should the Foxes take a maximum-points win over Sussex.
Former captain Leach says he’s not “overly concerned” about playing the in-form leaders, adding the Pears are just focussing on “doing us” and “seeing what happens”.
“It’s a big couple of weeks for us and it’s all to play for,” he said.
“If we can string together two similar performances [like Glamorgan] in the last two games, we’ll be well placed.”
Although Worcestershire have only mustered 16 batting bonus points this season, their bowling attack has kept them firmly in the hunt with 33 bowling points – the same as Durham.
Leach has led that unit with distinction this season, claiming another five wickets in the match against Glamorgan to take his tally to 46 – his best since Worcestershire’s last promotion campaign six years ago, when he took 69.
Only Durham’s Matthew Potts and Ben Raine have taken more in the second division this summer and Leach says he feels he is approaching his best form for quite a while.
“It’s been a good season. I feel like maybe for the first time in a few I’m right back up to where my absolute best is,” he said.
“That’s always a really nice feeling to have and hopefully that can continue into the last two games.”
