Kent all-rounder Alex Blake is determined to work hard and earn himself a place in the first eleven.

The 23 year old former Leeds Metropolitan University student has found himself down the pecking order at Canterbury since the arrival of new signings Mike Powell, Ben Harmison and Brendan Nash, but is hoping to use the One Day side as his avenue into the first team.

Blake batted at number three as Kent opened their CB40 campaign with a win against Yorkshire on Sunday and is hoping some decent performances with the bat will help him return to the first team, but he is under no illusions as to how hard that could be:

“We have started quite well in the four day game and we’re looking strong at the top of the league. I have got a few players probably in front of me at the moment, like Sam Northeast. It’s going to be tough, but at least I’m playing in the One Day side and that’s got to be the way in for me.”

“I didn’t do too well against Yorkshire, but we got a win. Last week they gave a few of us an opportunity against Oxford MCCU on what turned out to be a bit of a wet wicket, but I tried to knuckle down and take my time.”

“I batted quite a few balls out and having spoken to Jimmy, I realise that 97 is good, but it’s big hundreds that get noticed if you want to force your way in. I was happy scoring some runs, but looking back on it I’ve got to make sure I kick on and score a few more.”

Having seen Sam Northeast score heavily for the second team after finding himself in a similar position, Blake is keen to use his team-mate as a template as to what to do, to get back into the first eleven:

“Sam got 160 odd against a strong Durham team a couple of weeks ago and when Keysey went down with his ankle problem, he was next in line because of that performance.”

“I guess I’ve got to keep working hard and tell myself that when I get to 80 or 90 that the job’s not done and to carry on and score as many as I can.”

This summer is Blake’s first one with Kent on a full-time basis having completed his degree at University and believes being with the squad on a regular basis might benefit his game in the long run:

“I’m trying to be as relaxed as possible this year. I went away to Australia in the winter and worked on a few things out there with Noddy Holder. He has helped me free my game up a bit which has been good.”

“This year I’m trying to go out there and not think about it too much. That doesn’t mean I’m going to go out there and slog or swing from the hip, but I want to try and bat with a bit of freedom.”

“The One Day stuff should help me with that given the opportunity and batting at three helps too.”

Working with Jimmy Adams has to surely help any batsman and Blake is no different citing the former West Indian batsman as a massive influence in the past few months:

“Jimmy played at the highest level and being a fellow left hander, it’s been good to talk to him about my game. He’s been good to talk to about batting craftmanship and he knows how to build an innings.”

“For someone like me who considers himself as an attaking type of player, speaking with Jimmy has been good as he is teaching me to knuckle down, work the singles and know your scoring areas.”

“He’s been good at making sure we’re all pulling in the same direction and you can see from the start we’ve had that it’s working.”

Since making his debut for Kent against Surrey back in 2007, Blake has seen players and coaching staff come and go, but like lots of others, he feels there is something special about the dressing room atmosphere at Kent this year:

“It definitely feels like there has been a change this year. Obviously there have been a few new faces come in, everyone’s quite relaxed this year too. Having started the season quite well has helped, but I think everyone is enjoying one another’s company and we’re taking that out onto the field.”

“Against Yorkshire on Sunday was a lot different to what I’ve ever experienced at Kent. Everyone was out there enjoying it and when you’re having fun, you feel a lot better playing your game.”

Blake will join up with a combined Kent and Northampstonshire second eleven as they take on their Yorkshire counterparts at Beckenham beginning on Tuesday and is hoping for some decent weather to get some overs in the middle:

“It will be a good test at a ground I enjoy playing at. Hopefully I can go bigger than 97 this week.”

“It’s not so much the wickets that are a problem at the moment as they are well covered, but the main thing we’re having problems with is not getting the game time.”

“I think we’ve played four or five games and have only really completed a couple, so it’s been a bit frustrating with all the rain.”

Being in the second eleven is where Blake is at, at the moment, but he’s hoping performances in weeks to come will see him pushing hard for a place in the first eleven:

“It’s got to be my main goal, although I know it’s going to be hard because of the way we’ve started and the calibre of players we’ve got in our team.”

“It could be quite hard to budge any of them, but the only way I’ll do it is by scoring loads of runs. That’s what the likes of myself, Sam Northeast and Daniel Bell-Drummond have got to do though if we want to play first team cricket.”