Young gun aiming for centuries

Daniel Bell-Drummond had mixed emotions about his second Championship half-century in as many games, saying he hopes his ‘brilliant form’ will translate to more First Class centuries. The 20-year-old top-scored in Kent’s first innings against Leicestershire this week with 58, having made a team-best 61 at Worcester the week before. The scores continued a trend from pre-season when he scored a half-century for the MCC, an unbeaten century in a friendly against Essex and another in the following game, the First Class warmup against Loughborough MCCU, where he retired on 103 – his highest ever First Class score. Bell-Drummond said: “I’m feeling good. It’s good to be getting the runs on the board. I want to carry on and make them three figures, but I really can’t complain with the start I’ve made. “It’s definitely carried on from pre-season. I had a good winter in Australia, and went over to Abu Dhabi with the MCC and from then on I’ve really kicked on.” Bell-Drummond revealed he has not made a concerted effort to be more patient in the middle this season, explaining: “I’ve worked a lot during the winter. The more balls I can stay out there for, the more patient I might seem. I think the conditions sometimes dictate the way I score and the rate I score at. “I haven’t made a conscious effort to be patient compared to last year, but I guess I’ve been on the patient side due to conditions.” The batsman heaped praise on overseas signing Doug Bollinger, adding: “He’s been brilliant for us. I think he’s shown his class already.”