WORCESTERSHIRE are not planning to appoint a vice-captain before the start of the new season.

Joe Leach, who has taken over the captaincy from Daryl Mitchell, says he’s “open” to seeing how matters develop on the field during the summer.

The all-rounder was Mitchell’s deputy before being handed the captaincy after the Badsey-born opening batsman was relieved of the role last September after six years.

Worcestershire open their Specsavers County Championship Division Two campaign against Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium next Friday (11am).

Leach said: “As a captain I will be as honest and competitive as I can be and hopefully that will be good enough.

“We haven’t got anyone as vice-captain yet and I am very much open to seeing how things develop.

"We’ve got no timescale on that.

“Mitch will be there, while we will also have the likes of John Hastings, Ben Cox, Tom Fell, Brett D’Oliveira and Shants (Jack Shantry).

“There are plenty of people to help me out, including Moeen Ali, when he’s available.

“I don’t see us lacking leadership and hopefully they will help me out.”

Leach, 26, established himself as a key member of Worcestershire's side with a series of consistent performances in 2015.

He ended that season as the club's vice-captain.

Leach bowled nearly 500 Championship overs and took 65 wickets last summer to sustain Worcestershire's challenge in a season in which their bowling performances dipped.

He also carried a threat with the bat, hitting a career-best 107 not out against Derbyshire.

“I hope you won’t see anything different from me as a cricketer,” said Leach, who previously captained Shrewsbury School and progressed through Worcestershire’s Academy.

“It’s been a pretty long winter and it felt a bit longer than normal.

“I cannot wait to start the season now.

“It’s a very exciting time for me personally but also for us as a club and I am really excited about what 2017 holds.”

Leach continued: “It was a surprise (to be named captain) and it happened very quickly but hopefully it’s an opportunity I will relish.

“I am very proud to be captain of a club with the history that Worcestershire have.”

Stafford-born Leach has led Worcestershire in a couple of warm-up matches in pre-season.

He is looking forward to unleashing his charges in their curtain-raiser against Glamorgan.

“It will be interesting to see what type of pitch Glamorgan produce,” said Leach.

“Last season we would have turned them over quite comfortably down there had it not been for bad weather.

"We are confident we can go there and get our season off to a good start.”