JOE Clarke has saluted the performances of new Worcestershire captain Joe Leach and says the all-rounder can push for international honours.

Leach amassed nearly 600 runs in Specsavers County Championship Division Two during 2016, including his century in the final match of the season against Derbyshire at New Road.

He also finished with 65 wickets in the competition for the 2016 campaign, surpassing last year's tally of 59 victims.

It led to Leavch being voted the County's players’ player of the Year for the second year running.

And Leach has now been appointed skipper for the first time after Daryl Mitchell was axed from the role by director of cricket Steve Rhodes.

Clarke, who was Worcestershire's young player of the year in 2015 and 2016, said: "Leachy has been fantastic for us this year.

"He has come to the wicket in situations when we have needed him to get some runs and has always chipped in with valuable contributions.

"With his bowling, even though we have played on flatter pitches, he has still found a way to get wickets.

"He finished the top wicket-taker in the country in our division and that is testament to how he has bowled this year.

"Can he get international honours? I don't see why not. If he is doing it regularly and consistently in county cricket, then there is no reason why not."

Clarke added: "It's also a true indication of Joe's performances for him to have been in that Professional Cricketers Association's Most Valuable Player top grouping all through the summer.

"There have been a lot of very good cricketers up there and that just shows how well he has done.

"He has performed week in and week out for us and he is a great performer for us."