JOE Clarke has taken over from Brett D’Oliveira as Worcestershire’s leading run-scorer in the County Championship with four matches remaining.

The 20-year-old came within two runs of his fourth Championship hundred of the campaign before falling to a spectacular boundary catch in last week’s defeat to Glamorgan at New Road.

Clarke has moved onto 789 runs, 79 more than D’Oliveira who returned against the Welsh side after missing the loss at Kent with a dislocated finger.

Wicketkeeper Ben Cox is within five of 500 and in-form vice-captain Joe Leach has moved up to 400.

Leach is the County’s leading wicket-taker and needs just two more to reach 50 Championship wickets for the second successive season.

The 25-year-old picked up his fourth five-wicket haul of the campaign against Glamorgan and has continued in the same vein as last season despite the flatter pitches evident.

He is on course to surpass last season’s tally of 59.

Matt Henry (27) and Ed Barnard (23) have been the other main wicket-takers for the County.