TOM Alsop admits he expected to play more for Hampshire this season.

Alsop shined in a disappointing 2016, averaging 35 in red-ball cricket to go alongside the county’s highest scores in the Royal London One-Day Cup and the Natwest T20 Blast (116 and 85).

His excellent form saw him called up to the England Lions, MCC squad and the North vs South series.

But he has been restricted to ten games across the formats and just a single Specsavers County Championship match this season, following the signings of Rilee Rossouw and George Bailey .

Alsop, who hopes to be recalled for tonight’s T20 Blast clash against Kent in the absence of the injured Michael Carberry (hamstring), said: “I’m not going to lie, I have been a bit disappointed with the season so far with the amount of cricket I have played.

“I expected to be playing more. It’s been quite tough at times especially when you see others playing and you feel like all you want to do is just play.

“It is frustrating for me but putting it in a more positive switch it has made me more hungry and desperate to do well and get back in the side.

“But when you sign someone of the quality of Rilee Rossouw and George Bailey, then it is probably better for the club to play those signings.

“They are going to improve our cricket and our environment in the dressing room – bring that gulf from the international arena.”

Alsop has considered a loan spell like teammate Joe Weatherley, who is with Kent for the season (but unavailable to face his Hampshire colleagues tonight).

“I have definitely thought about the loan system,” Alsop said.

“Ideally I would be playing for Hampshire, and I love playing for Hampshire and I want to play for Hampshire.

“But for me as a cricketer my goal is to play for England.

“You can only do that by performing and doing well in first-class and first-team cricket, I just want to be playing that.”

Alsop has found a brief return to the first XI during the Blast – but is resigned to being a bit-part player for the rest of the season.

“I’m a big believer that you have to be very lucky,” he continued.

“If you score a million runs in the twos but everybody is doing well in the first team you probably aren’t going to play.

“It is a mixture of luck and timing.

“It hasn’t got to the stage of banging on the coaches’ door yet.

“I’ve just been trying to work on my game and do all I can for the twos.”

Hampshire have named a 15-man squad for tonight's game (7pm): Vince, Rossouw, Bailey, Dawson, Berg, McManus, Abbott, Crane, Topley, Wood, Wheal, Edwards, Afridi, Alsop.