Middlesex batsman Dan Housego has warned second team and club cricketers alike he is in the mood to score hundreds this summer.

The 21-year-old, who will play for Twickenham CC in the Middlesex County League Premier Division this season, is in the final year of his Lord’s contract having joined the club as a teenager.

He has hardly set the world alight during his four year spell in north London, making five first class appearances with a highest score of 36.

And the former Reading Cricket Club run scorer, who has moved to Twickenham on the instruction of Middlesex cricket director Gus Fraser, has no doubt over what he needs to extend his stay in St Johns Wood.

“I’m not starting in the first team so I’m going to have to work my way up from the second team and club cricket,” he said.

“I’m not complaining. I haven’t played well enough or scored enough runs.

“This year I’m more prepared that I have ever been. If it doesn’t happen for me this year I don’t know what more I can do.

“Professional sport is tough. People say being cricketer is easy, but it isn’t. I’ve hit so many balls in the nets this winter I think I’ll turn into one of those bowling machines.

“I’m going to need to average 60 in the second team to get a chance and even then that will only happen if people above me aren’t scoring runs. Records don’t lie.

“If I want to stay in the first-class game I’ve got to start hitting hundreds.”

A stomach bug ruled Housego out of Twickenham’s pre-season friendly defeat at Acton on Saturday, which saw new overseas player Tom Meredith notch a big hitting 80 on debut.

Fraser is keen to get Middlesex players representing their associate clubs as often as possible, but Housego will not risk burning himself out in an important year for his career.

“I’m in the final year of my contract, but I’m trying to ignore that and will try and just concentrate on scoring runs,” he added.

“Sometimes if you are not careful you can be playing six days of cricket in a row, with all the second team games, training and club games we have to fit in.

“It is important to get the balance right. You want as many knocks as you can get, but at the same time I don’t want to burn myself out for the most important games.”