The top order batsman smashed a century and a 60 in pre-season matches and opened his first-class account for the summer with 131 against Loughborough UCCE last week.

Singh finished the 2004 season in the First XI and said: "Pre-season couldn't have gone better for me and I've been hitting the middle with the bat very well.

?It?s very easy to say that against students you should be able to get runs but they were very professional and a credit to the UCCE system.

?I managed to keep my concentration and all in all was very pleased with the knock.

?Having said that, I also appreciate with the strength of our squad that I can?t expect to walk into the team. We have four batsmen who have spent a lot of their careers opening the innings - and four into two doesn?t go.

"The way things are with our batting line-up I would be happy to bat anywhere in the top five and I don't approach the game differently in terms of my mental approach and technique whether I'm opening or coming in down the order.

"Wherever there's a space, I'll be very happy to play."