ED Barnard has set his sights on eventually forcing his way into the Worcestershire top six and becoming, in his words, "a proper all-rounder."

Barnard often batted in the lower order last summer and combined some useful contributions by also taking 31 wickets in the Specsavers County Championship.

But the 21-year-old has been promoted into the number seven slot during the early part of the campaign and already made an impact.

He made 59 in the win over Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium and then a crucial 26 not out in a rejigged batting order in the low-scoring success over Northamptonshire at New Road.

Barnard is looking to make more sizeable contributions now from his elevated spot and striving to climb even higher as his career progresses.

He said: "I think one massive thing for me is I really want to kick on and make those big scores and turn myself into a proper all-rounder.

"I believe I am a proper all-rounder and I want to show that and help the team out when I can and get some big scores.

"Eventually number six is my aim, to bat at number six and be bowling. That would for me in a perfect world.

"At the moment I'm batting number seven and I'm really happy with that, a couple of places higher than last year.

"It's an improvement and hopefully I can kick on from there and really get some big scores and get up that order again."

Barnard acknowledges that he now has more time to build an innings along recognised batsmen when he comes to the wicket.

He said: "I think that is very helpful for me if I want to get on and get those big scores.

"You are batting with proper batsmen when you first go in and you've still got batters behind you like Leachy and Hasto at nine who are two proper batters.

"It's not like when you are number nine and, although we bat down the order, you lose a couple of wickets, and the innings is over."

Barnard did bat in the top order for the England Under-19s and admits the perception of his role in a side has varied throughout his career.

He said: "It's strange how it has really gone for me so far. I've gone through periods where I've been seen as a batter.

"Then obviously at the start of my Worcestershire career I've been more used as a bowler who bats a little bit.

"I think that is going to happen throughout my career.

"One will always be above the other but my aim is to work as hard as I can at both and keep them up to a level where I want them."