Highly-rated young batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond beat the cold of winter by escaping to the heat of Queensland for five months.

Even living in a house without air-conditioning in hot and humid Brisbane – where the mercury soared to over 40c – was a far better prospect than facing a bowling machine at
home.

Now the 20-year-old hopes his stint playing A grade cricket for Norths, who are coached by Kent team-mate Brendan Nash, has laid the foundations for him to achieve his goal this year – to score 1,000 first-class runs for the first time.

He has certainly made a promising start, scoring an undefeated 103 against Loughborough MCCU at Canterbury on Wednesday - his highest first-class and his second career century.

Now he’s keen to get some more runs on the board and secure his place in Kent’s line-up in all three formats of the game.

He has no doubt grade cricket – where he scored 411 runs at 41.10 with a best of 89 – will help his cause.

Bell-Drummond said: “It (the standard) took me by surprise to be honest (his team-mates included former Australian representatives James Hopes and Nathan Hauritz and Queensland batsman Joe Burns) and it was always so competitive.

“They (Australians) don’t take a backward step at whatever level you play. Spending time out in the middle in a tough environment like that was a great way to learn and prepare for this season – it sure beat the nets.”

The stint with Norths appears time well spent given how Bell-Drummond started the season in Dubai last month.

He scored 54 and 27 as the MCC beat Durham by six wickets.

Bell-Drummond shared a 67-run third-wicket partnership with MCC captain, veteran Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, which paved the way for victory.

He said: “It’s still sinking in that I batted with him – I still have to pinch myself.”