IN-form seamer Jamie Porter says Essex Cricket are not resting on their laurels and the best is yet to come after an impressive start to the County Championship season.

Essex have won two and drawn one of their three games so far, with the two victories against Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire coming in hugely convincing fashion.

Porter has been a key figure so far this season and his 22 wickets in just six innings, at an average of 17.18, is the highest in Division Two – three more than team-mate Graham Napier and nine more than the first opposition bowler.

And the 22-year-old says he is delighted with his start, having claimed his first ever five wicket-haul against Sussex and following it up with figures of 5-46 against Northants.

“I am over the moon at the way the team and I have started,” he said. “We have two wins and a draw and we have a little gap at the top so we need to make sure we build on it.

“We are confident when we step out on the pitch and we believe we can beat anyone. The most exciting thing is we believe the best is yet to come, which bodes well for the coming months as we have started so brightly.

“It is a bit of a monkey off my back as I was looking for my first five-wicket haul and now two have come along in consecutive matches. I got the one at Sussex but it was really nice to get my first one at Chelmsford so soon after. It takes a bit of pressure off so I am really looking forward to the Worcestershire game now.”

Worcestershire are still looking for their first win of the season, after a draw and an abandonment and Porter is hopeful of continuing that run when the match begins on Sunday at 11am.

Porter spent the winter with the Potential England Performance programme squad in South Africa and has been touted as a future international star by England captain and Essex team-mate Alastair Cook.

And he says he wants to continue improving and helping the team as the weeks go on.

“I am really pleased with what I have been doing and a lot of that is down to the work I did with the ECB over the winter during the Potential England Performance Programme. I ironed out a few flaws in my game and I feel good about myself so far.

“Worcestershire is a big game for us as we expect them to be up there come the end of the season and if we could win and start opening up a little gap that would work in our advantage.

“You have seen teams in the past open up gaps and teams are unable to close them down as the season goes on so that is what we want to do.”