AUSTRALIAN all-rounder John Hastings believes he’s “close to the peak” of his powers and is “excited by what lies ahead at Worcestershire”.

The 30-year-old had a hugely successful spell at Durham in 2015 and will be spearheading the New Road attack in all forms next summer.

After a challenging 12 months, which have included shoulder problems in December and ankle surgery earlier this year, the paceman has emerged as the key figure in Australia’s pace ranks.

Hastings’s latest heroics in Sri Lanka have seen the Victorian Bushrangers star take 24 one-day international wickets over the last 12 months.

“I would love to help Worcestershire to the final stages of the white-ball tournaments and to help us win promotion to Division One of the County Championship,” said Hastings.

“I actually feel I can bowl a little better than I am at the moment. Coming back into the game is always hard so I am hoping to put in a much better showing in Australia’s one-day international tour of South Africa.

“I can definitely improve with bat, ball and in the field. If I can become a more consistent performer with the bat, it will be a huge asset carrying me forward.”

Hastings has confirmed his availability for the whole of the summer where he is hoping to use his experience at Durham to help the County.

He played a pivotal role in helping Durham to reach a Lord’s final and stave off the threat of relegation from Division One.

Hastings also smashed Durham’s fastest half-century when he cracked 50 from just 19 balls against Northamptonshire, ending the season with five 50s and 65 wickets in 26 matches.

“My time with Durham will definitely help me at Worcestershire,” he said.

“I feel I have a good knowledge of county cricket now and I’m excited by what lies ahead at Worcestershire. I am also looking forward to the prospect of working with some of the young, talented players at the club.

“It’s an emerging team and New Road is one of my favourite grounds to play on in county cricket. Hopefully, I can add some experience and try to build on a winning culture.”

Hastings added: “I am close to the peak years of of my career but there is definitely a lot of room for improvement. Having said that, I do feel as though I know my game well.

“The key to my bowling has been keeping things very simple and being relentless in every over.

“A lot of fast bowlers try to bowl a fuller length in one-day cricket and I always find the hardest ball for batsmen to get away is still the top of the stumps length.”

Hastings’s recent career-best performances for Australia’s one-day international side in Sri Lanka are proof of his match-winning abilities.

He averages 27.57 with the bat from 23 one-day internationals and has taken 33 wickets at an impressive 28.51 average.

Hastings has also played one Test and nine Twenty20 internationals for Australia.

Last month, he took 2-41 against Sri Lanka in the third one-day international at Dambulla, 6-45 in the fourth ODI and 1-30 in the fifth match of Australia’s 4-1 series triumph.

Hastings followed up with a crucial 2-23 in the second Twenty20 international at Colombo.

He has also featured in the Indian Premier League with the Chennai Super Kings and earlier this year played for Kolkata Knight Riders.