By Glenn Pearson

Kent head coach Jimmy Adams says Sam Northeast’s early season form in the second team means he is knocking on the door for a return to the side and shows the competition in the squad this season.

Northeast, who was a regular at number three in the batting order last season, lost his place to new signing Ben Harmison in the opening three games of the LV= County Championship but is pushing hard with runs in second team cricket.

The 22-year-old (pictured) hit 166 against a Durham 2nd XI and weighed in with an unbeaten 68 against a Kent Premier Division XI on Sunday.

Adams said: "I think he is doing what we all want him to do and that is score runs and score them heavily.

"But it’s good to know that he is knocking on the door consistently and that helps because it prevents complacency."

England under-19 stars Daniel Bell-Drummond and Adam Ball are back from international duty although are not expected to be included in the side for the visit of Yorkshire this week.

Adams is expecting a tough game against a county he believes remain one of the favourites to gain promotion from Division 2, but has warned his batsmen that they need to be "in the zone" after being bowled out for 150 in the first innings of the draw against Gloucestershire last week.

"We didn’t bat as well as we could have in our first innings, but I think the bowlers did well in bowling consistently throughout the game," he said.

"I’m glad that we came out second innings and showed what we can do, maybe it is just a case of making sure that we are in that zone first time round."