Kent skipper James Tredwell says players who perform for the 2nd XI are putting themselves in the frame for a first-team role.

The 2nds won by 20 runs against their Hampshire counterparts on Monday with Daniel Bell-Drummond scoring 132, Alex Blake 58 and Adam Ball 46, while Blake clubbed 164 in a friendly last week.

Ben Harmison has already seen a 2nd XI century earn him a place in the YB40 side and Tredwell said: “Harmy started the season with a hundred in the seconds and he’s had a chance in the last two one-day games and he’s shown he’s in great form.

“Blake hit a big century and Daniel scored another. It’s important to have people pushing from behind, it raises standards and it puts pressure on those in the team to keep competing.

“It’s all good for the club, and it makes selection that bit tougher. They know they need to do the business, but people will have bad runs of form, it’s part and parcel of sport.”