Darren Stevens says he is gutted to have missed out on a big hundred against Worcestershire at New Road.

The 38-year-old all-rounder’s innings of 95 took him to 800 first class runs for the season, averaging over 53 – and past the 11,000-run mark in his career – in a century fifth-wicket stand with Ben Harmison.

Stevens, whose displays in all forms of the game this season have installed him as early favourite for the county’s Player-of the-Year award, said: “I should have gone and got 200 on that pitch.

“It was doing a bit in the first hour or so, making it hard work for the lads at the top of the order. Ben and I decided to counter-attack, taking the game to them and make them alter their plans.”

Stevens was also unhappy with the way he got out, admitting: “I got my timing wrong. I looked up and the bowler (Joe Leach) was almost at the crease. It was poor for me, I should have pulled away.

“It’s my time at the moment, I am in a purple patch but it could easily be Rob Key or Sam Northeast in the future.”

Stevens was also full of praise for Harmison, still trying to win over the Kent public after a modest time since moving from Durham.

He said: “Ben is one of the hardest workers I have come across and it seems to be paying off now. His knock at Worcester was probably one of the best and most fluent I have seen him play. I was gutted for him he didn’t get a hundred.”