Sam Northeast admits his four-month trip to Australia has left him feeling the best about his game for a long time.

The 21-year-old Kent batsman averaged around 65, scoring a hundred and 90-plus for Sydney Cricket Club on his first trip Down Under.

Northeast said: "It was nice to get into a fresh environment and have the chance to express myself.

"It was my first trip to Australia. It was a good challenge and I enjoyed my time there. I have come back feeling the best I have felt in a while, probably for 12 months.

"It wasn’t first class cricket but I felt back into the swing of things."

Northeast averaged less than 25 in the championship last season – scoring 688 runs in 28 innings – and admits he felt the weight of expectation on his shoulders.

He admitted: "I was disappointed I didn’t make the impact I would have liked last summer.

"My goal this season is to break into the Kent one-day team but that’s only going to come with my performances in four-day cricket. So I have got to make them stick."

Northeast and Joe Denly, who replaced him in Sydney, are both out of contract this summer with new offers on the table but he is focusing all his attention on his game.

He added: "It’s all about me trying to perform to the best of my ability. If I do well, then I am sure things will happen."