Darryl Mitchell is pleased with his form this season

Worcestershire batsman Darryl Mitchell has his sights set on 1,000 Championship runs for the season.

Mitchell told BBC Hereford and Worcester he believes it is still a realistic target.

"My four-day form is good as I have got a lot of starts, but would liked to have converted a couple more of them.

"I think I have got around 800 runs now, so hopefully I will continue in the last three games and reach that 1,000-run mark."

Mitchell hit 102 for Worcestershire on the final day of the four-day match against Essex at Colchester as the New Road club wrapped up a vital six-wicket win.

They are now 29 points clear at the top of the Division Two table and, although their nearest challengers Warwickshire have a game in hand, Mitchell says they would far rather be in their position than that of their old rivals from Edgbaston.

"It's a great cushion to have, but we'll go into the next three games looking to win them all and win by a bigger margin by the end of the season," he said.

A 33-point lead is nice to have, but it doesn't mean anything come the end of the year if you are not still in front Darryl Mitchell

"The sides below us are all good sides and there is a lot of cricket to be played.

"A 33-point lead is nice to have, but it doesn't mean anything come the end of the year if you are not still in front," he added.

Mitchell admits that he is very pleased that his opening partner Stephen Moore has signed a new three-year contract at New Road, and he is hoping that the two of them will be at the top of the New Road club's batting order for many summers to come.

"It's fantastic news," said Mitchell. "Me and Moorie go back a long way as we opened together for the second team not that long ago and we have a pretty good understanding.

"We have put together five or six 100-partnerships at the top of the order, while there have been plenty of 50-partnerships to go with that, so it's gone really well for the two of us this year.

"Long may it continue, hopefully for the next three or four years," he added.

Worcestershire will return to four-day cricket on Tuesday, 2 September when they will entertain Warwickshire in the top-of-the-table clash at New Road.

There will be full commentary on the match on 738 AM and online.