Daniel Bell-Drummond claims the best is yet to come from him as he prepares to finish his breakthrough season with an England Lions trip to the UAE.

The opener, who turned 23 last month, has scored nearly 1,900 runs in all competitions ahead of this week’s season finale against Essex at Canterbury.

He has hit six 50s and a career-best century in the Championship, with 715 runs at an average of 60 – nearly three times better than last season.

With 379 more (average 54) in nine T20 knocks, including his first ton, and another 332 in eight One-Day Cup innings (average 42), Bell-Drummond has also shone in white ball cricket, none more so than on Lions duty in July.

He hit 171 not out in an unbeaten 167-run partnership from just 232 balls with Ben Duckett in a big win over Sri Lanka on his home ground.

The partnership was the highest ever at Canterbury – a record held by England’s Eoin Morgan and Nick Compton since 2009 – as they set the highest List A score at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

Bell-Drummond said: “It’s been a brilliant season for me. I’m happy it has gone the way it has. The great thing is that there’s still a lot of room for improvement and a lot of things that I can get better at.

“If someone had told me in March that the season would pan out as it did, I’d definitely have taken it but I believe I can do more – I can do better.

“One thing I can improve on is being consistent. Even though the runs have come on the board, sometimes I felt great, sometimes less so.

“The mental side, having an unflappable approach and being consistent is something I can improve on.”

He admitted: “There’s been a few ups and downs. I started the summer well but had a hand injury. I came back nicely but haven’t felt I have had the luck as much at the end of the season as I did at the start of the season but overall I’m happy with how it’s gone.”

After being overlooked for a senior call-up to tour Bangladesh, on Monday Bell-Drummond was named in the Lions squad for domestic training camps before heading to Dubai for three 50-over clashes with the UAE and a three-day match against Afghanistan in Sharjah in November and December.

He admitted: “I’m looking forward to the winter. It’s great to be involved again and hopefully I can continue my progress with them.”