Alex Blake admits to being frustrated by his stop-start return to Championship cricket – claiming it’s the best he’s felt in red-ball cricket for years, he’s just desperate to show it.

The 27-year-old was included in a Kent four-day side for the first time since 2012 at Leicestershire last month, although he was omitted from the team to face Glamorgan the following week after a score of just 26 at Grace Road when he was adjudged to have nicked one behind.

Blake earned a recall to face Gloucestershire this week after Sean Dickson needed eight stitches in his hand after a domestic accident and admitted: “It was good to be in the team playing, although it was through a bit of fortune I guess, with Sean injuring his hand.”

He added: “I played up at Leicester and got 26 but I didn’t think I was out, so I felt a bit hard done by and then I was left out against Glamorgan.

“I can see the reasoning and I understand it but it was frustrating for myself because I feel in good form and I’ve been hitting them nicely – it’s probably the best I have felt in red ball cricket for a few years.”

Blake scored 45 and shared a century stand with Sam Northeast on Monday but departed without adding to his overnight score on Tuesday.

The left-hander admitted: “It’s disappointing. I got back in for this game and knew I had to take my chance. It was frustrating to get out for 45 because I was pretty happy with how I went the previous night and if I could have kicked-on, I could have nailed down a spot.

“But it was a new ball on a new day, I fended at one and nicked off unfortunately.”

Blake remains hopeful of retaining his place for the trip to Northamptonshire from Sunday (11am) but added: “You don’t know what’s going to happen next week.

“I’ve just got to stay in the same good place I am at the minute with my red-ball cricket. Play my way, being positive but working on what I’ve been training on over the winter.

“It seems to me I’ve found a way of batting for myself – I’ve got to carry on and when I get an opportunity I need to take it with both hands.”

Blake is sure to feature as the Spitfires begin their NatWest T20 Blast South Group campaign at home to Somerset on Friday, May 20 (7pm).

He added: “We haven’t had a lot of time to practice white ball cricket since pre-season. It’s been a few weeks of solid red ball cricket.

“Depending whether I’m picked or not at Northants, I might only have one day to prepare but I’ll try and get some stuff done up there if there’s time.

“For me it doesn’t take a great deal to switch from red-ball to white, I just go out there, see the ball and carry on with what I’ve been doing the last couple of years and hopefully that will flow-in nicely.”