KEATON Jennings has been a revelation this season. While becoming the leading run scorer in the Specsavers County Championship with 951, he has also turned himself into a very handy Twenty20 all-rounder.

He also grabbed one of his many recent headlines in the Royal London Cup tie at home to Nottinghamshire, when Durham needed nine off the last two balls and he hit them for six and four.

Jennings, who turned 24 last month, is a former captain of South Africa Under 19s. But, with a mother born in Sunderland, he qualified in March to play for England and that is what he aims to do.

“That's my target, but I would be naïve to think I'm anywhere near,” he said, typifying his modesty. “I'm no stranger to things going wrong at the back end of a season, so I still have a lot to prove.

“I am trying to use my down time better. Instead of feeling I have to go for a run on days off I have learnt to relax more.”

Jennings has ended the last two seasons out of the team and feels he has benefited from consulting his uncle Ken, a sports psychologist.

The result is that Keaton, while still anxious to maximise his potential, has learnt not to get too low when things don't go well.

“I love the way my uncle has helped me to work things out for myself,” he said.

Such an approach may well be in contrast to that of Keaton's father, Ray, who was known as a fitness fanatic and disciplinarian during his time as South Africa's coach.

Ray was the country's top batsman-wicketkeeper during their years of isolation and when they returned to the international fold he was 38. South Africa turned instead to Dave Richardson, father of Durham's Michael.

When Keaton scored his recent double century against Yorkshire he said: “I don't think my dad ever got one. There aren't many things I've got over him, so it makes me very proud and happy.”

Despite the strong South African background, Keaton has always insisted that he had his dad's full support in coming to England because there are more opportunities here.

While Ken's chances were limited by the world's response to the exclusion of blacks, the situation is now almost reversed.

Keaton began the season by scoring two centuries in the match against Somerset, joining Dean Jones and Paul Collingwood as the only batsmen to achieve the feat for Durham, although they have since been joined by Scott Borthwick.

Jennings has since scored three more centuries and one more will see him equal the Durham record of six in a season, jointly held by Collingwood and Michael Di Venuto.

The only other person with five is current Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein, who described Jennings' innings as “outstanding” when he scored his latest ton.

Jennings responded: “When I first arrived here Dale was my mentor. He's someone I really look up to, so to be mentioned alongside him and some other really good players is special.”

His dedication to becoming a man for all formats has seen him developed a range of one-day strokes as well as improving his medium pace bowling.

He has bowled more overs than anyone in Durham's T20 side this year, usually with good economy, and of those who have played regularly he tops the batting averages at 43.75.

His strike rate of 119 runs per 100 balls is not the best, but it is remarkably good for someone whose intial development was as a solid four-day opener.

Jennings is almost certainly a future Durham captain, although it would be risky to burden him with leadership before he has proved that he is not a one-season wonder. And he could be in the England side by then.