Daniel Bell-Drummond claims he is excited about the prospects for this season after smashing his First Class best in Kent’s final warm-up game against Loughborough.

The 22-year-old opening batsman enjoyed mixed fortunes in red-ball cricket in 2015, catching the eye with a stunning second innings century against the touring Australians but averaging just mid-20s in Kent’s ill-fated County Championship Division 2 campaign.

However, he began this season in style, batting more than three-and-a-half hours on his way to 71 in the two-day friendly against Durham at Canterbury before scoring an unbeaten 206 not out against Loughborough MCCU – a knock which included his 3,000th First Class run.

Bell-Drummond admitted: “I felt good against Loughborough but that started from the previous game against Durham.

“I hadn’t really batted in red ball cricket all winter so I wanted to get some time in the middle against Durham. I felt good. I had worked on some technical things. It was a conscious effort to bat time.”

He added: “With all due respect to the Loughborough bowlers who bowled well, it will be a different challenge in the Championship but I am looking forward to the season.”

Bell-Drummond – who played white ball cricket on tour with England Lions in Dubai either side of Christmas – admitted this week’s washed-out game at Worcester had been ‘tough’ to endure.

He said: “There’s nothing we can do but it is frustrating. There were not even practice facilities so although we did a bit of fitness to stay fresh, some of us did not even hold a bat for days.

“It’s a shame because we have prepared well and wanted to get off to a good start but it is only April – there’s a lot of cricket left this season.”

Bell-Drummond batted for more than five-and-a-half hours and faced 246 balls in his double-century at Canterbury, hitting 26 fours and two sixes.

Kent's second Championship fixture is at Leicester on Sunday, April 24.