EVER the optimist, Worcestershire off-spinner Ray Price still believes the side can achieve a top four spot in LV County Championship Division One.

The County are yet to win a four-day match this season and have been beaten by an innings in three of their five outings so far, but the Zimbabwean is confident things can be turned around.

The left-arm orthodox bowler said: "It hasn't been a good start to the season for us, but we have been playing better cricket recently.

"We've started to turn things around a bit.

"The New Road pitch is really flat so hopefully soon our batsmen will be able to get in first and do a really good job for us.

"Once we have built up a bit of momentum, we will start to get the results and we want to win as many games as we can.

"Obviously the aim at the start of the season is for a top four finish.

"The Lancashire game was a bit of a turning point for us, but we were denied by the weather there."

Price is employed mainly as a one-day specialist by Worcestershire, but he sees himself as more suited to four-day cricket.

However, with Gareth Batty currently ahead of him in the spin bowling pecking order, Price is concentrating on doing his best whenever called upon.

He added: "Gareth plays ahead of me and he has been bowling really well and making runs. It is hard for me to get ahead of him.

"I think my one-day game has been really good since I got here because I've had a lot of time to work on it.

"But to be honest, I saw myself as more of a four-day player when I first came to Worcestershire.

"Nowadays, I don't see myself as a one-day specialist, more someone who can adapt to both forms of the game.

"I don't pick the team and I can't control things like that, so it is important for me to do the right things when I play the one-day games, when I'm in the changing room and during practice sessions - things like that.

"Then I'll wait for the opportunity and make the best out of the things that come along.

"I'm always sad when I don't play, but that's life."

Results breed confidence and poor results can have the opposite effect, but Price insists the New Road dressing room remains a very upbeat place to be.

He said: "The atmosphere is really good in the dressing room.

"Even when we are losing it's important to realise there are so many games left this season and it is also important not to get down-hearted now.

"With guys like me, Roger (Sillence) and Doug (Bollinger) in the changing room there is plenty of noise.

"The poor other guys don't get much chance to get a word in!

"We've had a few better results in the last month or so and some of the guys have been scoring runs and taking wickets. We've just got to stick together as a team and move forward."

A former Zimbabwe international, Price still harbours ambitions of playing at the highest level and is part way through the qualification period to be eligible to represent England.

However, for now, he is focused on doing all he can to lead Worcestershire towards the right end of the tables in domestic cricket.

He said: "Everybody wants to play international cricket and I was lucky to play more than a couple of internationals.

"It is always inspiring to play cricket for your country - it's always been my main goal.

"But for this season, I'll try and do the best I can and work hard for the team and we hope to finish as high as we can.

"But at the moment we are really struggling so we need to get back winning and get back on track."