Jake’s progress has shown me what’s possible

Watching other young talents flourish at Trent Bridge, Ben Kitt, 21, would have been forgiven for thinking his opportunity had passed.

At the season’s start, the fast bowler had to make do with 2nd XI and academy appearances but, 101 wickets later, he left Notts with little option but to tie him down to his first professional deal.

It’s a haul which, coupled with his action and temperament, has prompted comparisons from Mick Newell to Jake Ball, just a few years Kitt’s senior and with one Test cap already.

And while a chance in the Notts 1st XI has just eluded him so far, Kitt was named in a squad for two One-Day Cup games at the end of July.

He said: “Jake has been a big inspiration for me, he’s only a couple of years older and we’ve all seen the journey he’s made and I’m keen to follow in those footsteps.

“The main goal for any cricketer is to play for England, and the way he came through is really encouraging for me and the other bowlers at Notts, he’s got a really nice action and his temperament is spot on. He bowls quick and it’s what I want to do.

“Being named in a squad came out of nowhere, it was brilliant to be around the team and to be close to playing. It gave me an inkling that the coaches saw a lot in me.”

Even before he could play the game, Kitt’s future was always destined to be with a ball in hand.

His family, cricket lovers themselves, would host touring sides in his hometown in Cornwall, a squad of dads, brothers and cousins taking to the pitch for “a bit of a laugh”. Then, scouted by Notts at 15, he spent the next few years developing through the academy at Trent Bridge.

But it’s only this summer in which his talents have come to the fore. He said: “If you told me at the start of the year I’d take 100 wickets with games to spare I’d have laughed.

“To take the amount I have has been amazing, I’ve had a really good year and I’ve enjoyed every minute but I wasn’t, 100 per cent, expecting the contract, but thankfully I’ve got it.

“But we’ve got a very strong side at Notts, even though it hasn’t been our year. There’s healthy competition in the squad which is good to be a part of, so I’ll be pushing to get into that first team.”

Comparisons to Ball – though a late bloomer himself – will, undoubtedly, lead to the pressure of expectation based on how Trent Bridge’s newest international cap has fared to date.

But for a man aspiring to be like Freddie Flintoff, it seems the burden may not be quite so heavy. Kitt said: “I was never pushed into cricket, but I love the sport and it’s really nice to have that feeling of having a chance to do it.

“I was desperate to be like Freddie, and in some ways still am. He bowled fast and batted well, so I always wanted that, but I do need to pick up work on my batting!”