JOHN Hastings has great memories of playing for Durham but all his energies will be focused on trying to help promotion-chasing Worcestershire clock up another victory.

The Australian all-rounder spent two seasons with Durham in 2014 and 2015 and looks forward to renewing old acquaintances during this week’s four-day clash which gets under way at 2pm tomorrow with a pink Duke ball.

But first and foremost Hastings wants to help his current county maintain the momentum that was regained after a couple of blips via the stunning four-wicket win over Kent when chasing down 399 for victory.

Hastings said: “I’ve got some great memories of Durham. I had a fantastic couple of years up there. It’s something I’ll always cherish.

“But going back up there I’d still really love to win and just keep our momentum going here.

“It will be special. I’ll catch up with a few friends I’ve made up there and have a really good week.

“They are a fantastic club and I’ve really felt for them over the last year and a bit especially this season with having to start so many points down.

“But they are really well led there by Colly (Paul Collingwood) and John Lewis. Colly is an evergreen really. He trains really hard, keeps himself really fit and is still doing a great job.

“It will be great to go up there and see everyone — and hopefully get a win.”

Second-placed Worcestershire are 26 points behind Nottinghamshire with a game in hand and nine ahead of Kent as their two nearest rivals clash at Trent Bridge this week.

Hastings said: “We are in a very good position. It hurt us those couple of losses we’ve had. If we had managed to sneak a draw out of those we would be a lot closer to Notts.

“Notts and Kent play each other under lights this coming week so that will be an interesting game but we will just focus on what we need to do and try to keep winning games.”

Hastings has experience of playing with the pink ball in Australia and will pass it on to his Worcestershire team-mates.

He added: “For me the pink ball doesn’t do as much as the red ball and it only swings for about 10 to 15 overs and then traditionally in Australia the middle period has been quite flat.

“Then the lights come on and it does a bit at night. Those are the sorts of things I’ll be passing onto the boys.”