Matt Hunn has certainly made the most of his opportunities when fellow paceman Matt Coles has been rested this season.

He returned the best bowling figures of his fledgling first-class career – 5-99 – when he replaced Coles for the Ashes tour opener against Australia at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, last month.

Captain Michael Clarke was one his scalps in his impressive first- innings haul.

Hunn, 21, then took 3-51 against Surrey in the LV= County Championship, Division 2 clash at the Kia Oval, a return that included the prize wicket of Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara, the fifth-highest run scorer in Test match history.

And to add to a memorable few weeks, Hunn also made his T20 debut in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group clash against Glamorgan at Tunbridge Wells on Friday.

He took 3-30 in his four overs and that included another international scalp, South African batsman Jacques Rudolph.

He said: “The lads are giving me a bit of stick about taking all these ‘international’ wickets.

“But it feels great to be playing in the first team and bowling against the calibre of players that I am.

“Playing against these international players is a great way to help me continue to learn.

“I am enjoying the challenge and the chance to execute my skills against them.”

But Hunn is determined not to be just a fill-in player.

Hunn, who plays his club cricket for Sandwich Town, said: “I want to be playing regularly, regardless of what format of the game it may be in.

“And to do that, to ensure I keep my name in the frame, I have to take any opportunity that comes my way. The best way of doing that is to keep taking wickets.”

And Hunn did that in the impressive innings-and-207-run demolition of Essex – the county he was born in and supported when growing up – in the LV= County Championship, Division 2 clash at Tunbridge Wells this week.

Hunn took 2-78 and 4-47 but was modest about his contribution.

He said: “It was a whole team performance – that’s why it was so convincing.

“I was just happy to pick up some more wickets and help the cause.”