CONSISTENCY is the name of the game as far as Worcestershire's David Leatherdale is concerned this season.

And for the 33-year-old long-server that means regular success with both bat and ball.

Certainly from a batting viewpoint it's been a highly promising start to the campaign for Leatherdale, who began the season by scoring 93 in the opening County Championship Division Two match against Middlesex at Lord's.

That was followed by three half centuries in the Benson and Hedges Cup in which he ended up as the County's leading run-scorer with 225 at an average of 56.25.

Since then he's followed up with valuable contributions with bat and ball in the Norwich Union League Division Two and Championship.

And it's that kind of consistency that Leatherdale wants to maintain throughout the summer.

He said: "Consistency was probably what we lacked as an overall team last season and it's something we have talked about this year. It's not got to be left to one individual. We are 11 players and everybody has got to do their bit. Don't look at somebody else to do the work - do it yourself."

Determined Leatherdale admits to being happy with the way things have gone for him so far this season, despite the difficulties caused by the wet weather.

"I was obviously pleased to start off with the 93 at Lord's and then three fifties in the Benson after what was very little preparation outside with the weather the way it was. I think we only had two grass nets at the start of the season, so to be consistent so early has been very pleasing.

"Last year was good for me over the season to be able to score the runs that I did. I was close to a thousand in first-class and over 300 run the National League with two hundreds and seven fifties in the Championship."

Leatherdale has neared 1,000 first-class runs on a number of occasions but only reached the magical milestone once when he notched 1,001 in 1998.

"A thousand has been in my scope year in and year out. I think four times I've been between 975 and a thousand, but not actually got to it. That's while batting mainly at six, but this year I've been asked to bat at five which is a position I probably prefer and from where I have scored most of my runs to be honest.

"It gives you that opportunity in Championship cricket to bat longer, and it also provides that chance in one-day cricket to probably get in before the last five or six overs."

Leatherdale is anxious for the County to get the difficulties they experienced last season out of their system and move forward.

"Last year, like any team, we got on a down roll after the NatWest Trophy game. We struggled with injuries and we had people playing who were trying to find their feet. You could say some of the younger guys got their opportunity and it was very difficult for them in a side that was playing very negative cricket.

"Vikram (Solanki) scored heavily in the Championship over the season and I got just under a thousand, but apart from that we didn't have the overall consistency in the batting. Bowling-wise we relied on Glenn McGrath and Stuart Lampitt, but we now really need Sherry (Alamgir Sheriyar) to carry on as he's been doing.

"So far he's bowled exceptionally well in all forms of cricket and with Andy Bichel coming in it obviously gives us a bit more of a different angle having an all-rounder whose got the ability to bat at three if you wanted to in the one-day stuff."

Leatherdale agrees with Director of Cricket Tom Moody that the team must concentrate on the positives that come out of any game they play, regardless of the result.

"Tom said at the start of the season that he felt it was this year, and possibly next, that he's got to assess the quality of the side and what people's individual qualities are. But every game we have played so far we try to take something positive out of it. Even the three games we lost in the Benson and Hedges Cup they were all matches we potentially should have won.

"We lost two by 20 runs where we made a couple of small mistakes which meant really we had already lost out in the Benson before the game with Warwickshire. Yes, we would have gone through if we had won but it was probably the previous two games against Gloucestershire and Somerset that lost it for us."

Despite the cup disappointment, however, Leatherdale is convinced the County can go on and make a big impact this season.

"From a team point of view I'd certainly like to see us promoted in one of the tournaments. I think it's going to be difficult in the Championship with us having a small staff. It's a case of keeping people fit to make sure we can field a quality side week in and week out.

"In one-day cricket you can perform well on your day against a top side and then lose the next day against somebody you would expect to beat and that's where we've got to be more consistent."