Kent opening batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond believes that the key word ‘momentum’ will prove to be crucial if Spitfires are to mount a successful attack on winning this year’s NatWest T20 Blast competition.

The Spitfires and England Lions right-hander clubbed an unbeaten 90 off 55 balls to help Kent kick-start their short form campaign with a comfortable seven-wicket win over highly fancied Essex Eagles in Beckenham last weekend.

Now, almost a decade since Kent lifted the Blast title following their tense four wicket, final-over win over Gloucestershire at Edgbaston, the Millfield School prodigy believes the time is right for Kent to get on a winning roll once again.

“There’s a lot for us to look forward to in this competition,” said the 23-year-old whose 24th birthday, on August 4, will also mark the 10th anniversary of Kent’s sole Twenty20 triumph in Birmingham.

“The two new guys from New Zealand, Adam Milne and Jimmy Neesham, have fitted in to the squad brilliantly and we can go into every game knowing we’ve got a good, strong unit together. Ideally, you want to start well and build momentum but, as we know, there are some very dangerous teams in the South Group and we’ll need to be on it 100 per cent.”

Bell-Drummond, who in his first 10 NatWest Blast innings since the start of 2016 averaged 67 at a strike rate of 150.8 per 100 balls faced, added: “I’m happy with the start but it counts for nothing if we don’t push on. It’s just the beginning of this tournament for me and for the team, so I’m trying not to look too far ahead.

“I just want to play my own game and get us off to some decent starts. I’m getting better at this format, I’ve found a method and hopefully I can stick to it throughout the competition.

“There’s no holding back when you’re opening the batting in T20. I can’t say I ever feel relaxed, but it is fun.”

Kent continue their short-form campaign when they travel to a sold-out Kia Oval for Friday's clash with early pace-setters Surrey from 6.30pm.