Kent batsman Sam Northeast is glad to be playing a full part as the side push for promotion at Glamorgan this week.

Northeast started the season in the Second XI after the club opted to bring in Middlesex opener Scott Newman on loan, but the amount of runs be scored for the second string meant he was drafted into the First Eleven and hasn’t looked back since.

Having captained the side against the touring South Africans earlier in the summer and after scoring a career best 165 against Derbyshire at Canterbury last week, Northeast told KSN how he was happy to be making a difference:

“I have been asked a lot as to whether being left out at the start of the year has meant I have scored a lot of runs towards the end of the season.”

“I’m not so sure, all I know is I am really pleased to be in the position I am now having scored over 700 runs. I will take that confidence going forward knowing that I can score runs at this level consistantly and I know I’ve got to continue doing that.”

With the side needing a win to stand a chance of promotion this week, Northeast says Kent will be keeping abreast of events at Derby where Derbyshire take on Hampshire and at Chelmsford where Essex play Yorkshire:

“It is going to go right to the death and I am sure there will be some biting of finger nails, but we have got the momentum and we will go there with great hope.”

“I am sure we will be looking on our phones to see how the others are getting on and hopefully we will come home having been promoted or even better having won the title.”

Meanwhile, Northeast hinted he would be one of those renewing his contract at the St Lawrence Ground:

“I think something will be released in the next few days. It’s all good news and I’m glad to have got it all sorted out.”