DARYL Mitchell has set his sights on reaching 1,000 runs in County Championship Division Two.

The 32-year-old Worcestershire captain has made 703 runs in the four-day format this summer and needs a further 297 from the County’s final two matches.

Worcestershire face Sussex at Hove on Monday (10.30am) in their penultimate clash before hosting struggling Derbyshire at New Road on September 20.

The County’s outside promotion hopes ended with a heavy defeat at Essex in their last outing.

Mitchell underlined his class with two centuries against Northamptonshire last month but admits he has not been as prolific as he would have wanted in red-ball cricket this term.

“The Northants game was a good one for me and the team, and it was nice to get some runs,” said Mitchell, whose side amassed a club-record 404-8 with one over to spare to win the game.

“I have been short of runs in red-ball cricket this season and I haven’t got as many as I would have liked. But, with two games to go, hopefully I can add to my hundreds tally and put some runs on the board.

“There is still a good opportunity for me to score 1,000 runs and I will definitely be looking to do that.”

Worcestershire-born Mitchell, who is in his benefit year, is also closing in on 10,000 first-class runs for the County and his total stands at 9,712.