Kent batsman Sam Billings is hoping to use his performances in the CB40 in recent weeks as a springboard to the first eleven in the County Championship.

The Pembury born wicketkeeper batsman turns twenty one in a fortnight’s time and was in party mood on Friday night as his majestic 58 not out against Warwickshire in front of the Sky cameras helped the Kent Spitfires to a ten wicket win at Canterbury.

Billings has been limited to just three appearances for the first team in the CB40 side, opening the batting alongside skipper Rob Key, but the elegant right hander insists he is working towards a place in the County Championship side:

“I’ve got to keep working hard and take every opportunity I get. I’ll keep plugging away and hopefully get some scores. To get into the Championship side I need to be going into the second team and score oodles of runs.”

“I love opening the batting as the ball comes on a lot nicer, so hopefully if I keep churning out those performances I’ll be able to stay there at the top with Rob.”

On a wicket that did an awful lot whilst Warwickshire were batting, Billings made it look very simple as he compiled his 58 not out off just 54 balls, crashing 9 of those balls to the boundary and he told KSN how he was looking to do the basics right:

“It was really good to get those runs and Rob helped me out a lot in the middle. I tried to hit straight as the ball was coming on nicely.”

“It’s nice to get runs with the cameras here and with friends and family watching, but I try and keep it as simple as possible. I’m still starting out on my career and it’s important that I keep it as simple as possible and just watch the ball.”

Billings may have scored a half century, but it was Mark Davies that picked up the man of the match award for a devastating spell of bowling that saw Warwickshire reduced to 9 for 4 at one stage and the batsman had nothing but praise for his team-mates:

“Credit to the rest of the boys. Mark Davies was fantastic yet again and having faced him in the nets the other day, he just does not bowl a bad ball. All the hard work was done by the bowlers to set up the win and we just had to get our heads down and churn out the win.”

He may not be donning the gloves at Kent for now and Geraint Jones will be hoping that will be the case for some time to come, but Billings has shown some early promise that could lead to an exciting career.

Doing it in front of the Sky cameras too will do little harm for someone with age still on their side.

From here, Billings is expected to open the batting with Key as they head to Southend on Tuesday to face the Unicorns for the second time in just over a fortnight.