England wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings has signed a contract extension at Kent.

The 24-year-old Kent Cricket Academy graduate made his international breakthrough last year after impressing for the Spitfires and England Lions in white-ball cricket.

After winning the Spitfire player of the year in 2014, he scored his maiden LV= County Championship century for Kent in 2015 before being awarded his county cap during Canterbury Cricket Week.

Billings is currently on tour with England Lions in Dubai before playing in the Pakistan Super League with Islamabad United and flying to South Africa to join the senior England squad in the build-up to the ICC World T20 in Bangladesh.

Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford said: “We’re delighted that Sam has committed his future to the club.

“It is pleasing that we now have a solid core of players on longer term contracts and I think it points to an exciting future. With players vying for international honours, it is an competitive environment and one that is hungry for success.

“I know that our supporters have enjoyed watching Sam’s career develop and it will be exciting to see just how far he and others can go.”

Man United fan Billings will wear the No7 shirt for Kent, as he does for England, next season.

Billings played his part as England Lions took charge in a five-match unofficial ODI series against Pakistan A at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

His 51 from 48 balls was in vain as the Lions slipped from 194-2, chasing 288, to 271 all-out on Monday as Pakistan A pulled back to 2-1 down in the series with a 17-run win.

Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond was earlier dismissed for 12 from 21 balls.

Billings also hit 31 from 34 balls and claimed a catch as England had secured a 69-run win in the second match after amassing 314-5 after being put in.

He began the series with an unbeaten 35 in a five-wicket win at the same venue, bringing up the winning runs with a boundary.

The remaining two games are on Thursday, January 28, and Saturday, January 30.