MATT Mason has praised the role of Daryl Mitchell in helping his successor Joe Leach bed into his new role as Worcestershire captain.

Mitchell's six-year term at the helm concluded at the end of last season with Leach taking over after a spell as vice-captain.

He has made an ideal start with Rapids into the semi-finals of the Royal London One-Day Cup and the club unbeaten in Specsavers County Championship Division Two after three successive wins.

Assistant coach Mason says Mitchell, the County's senior professional, has been an invaluable aid to the 26-year-old.

Mason said: "It's like anything isn't it. You change things and often it can start that way. The whole environment shifts a bit.

"Joe is a great leader and has done very well.

"But he is lucky he has got Mitch alongside him and he has been fantastic after the disappointment of losing the role himself.

"He has thrown himself into helping Joe as much as he can, being a very senior professional around the group, and Joe needs that because without Mitch we lose more experience.

"He has been very good at helping Joe adapt to his new role as captain.

"They've played a lot of cricket together and Joe was vice-captain for a bit. It is only right they do help each other.

"But Joe is also trying to do things his own way. He doesn't want to captain like any of the previous captains have.

"He wants his own style and the lads are responding to it."