Tom Alsop hopes his wicket-keeping will open up more opportunities in the Hampshire first-team.

Academy graduate Alsop gave up keeping to concentrate on batting two seasons ago before replacing the injured Lewis McManus for last week’s rain-affected draw with Surrey.

It was the left-hander’s third Specsavers County Championship appearance of the season and the first time in 22 first-class career outings that he had kept wicket.

Alsop, a former England U19 international, said: “Lewis obviously did his finger and Chalks (director of cricket Gikes White) came up to me and asked whether I would be up for doing it.

“Having not played a lot this year, I saw it as an opportunity to get back in the side. I jumped at the chance when he offered it up.

“When I decided to put the keeping on the back burner for a while, we had three or four keepers at the club at the time.

“I wasn’t getting the game time with the gloves and decided to concentrate on batting.

“Seeing how my season went last year, you could say it was the right decision.

“But I think it’s something I can add back into my game and make myself more of an asset to the club.”

Alsop is also keeping in Hampshire's rain-affected Championship match against Middlesex at Uxbridge, where he took this stunning catch to dismiss Steve Eskinazi off Fidel Edwards during what little play has been possible this week.

“All I want to do is play so if that means pursuing the keeping and the club sees it as a way of going forward for the balance of the team then I’m happy to do that," he added.