ALEC Stewart has given Steve Davies' England hopes a ringing endorsement after labelling the Surrey youngster good enough to get into the team just as a batsman.

The 24-year-old is currently behind Test regular Matt Prior and Twenty20 World Cup winner Craig Kieswetter in wicket-keeping terms – however Stewart has called for selectors to look beyond that.

Davies – a former England Under-19 captain – has been in red-hot form for his new county this season, smashing 647 first-class runs at an average of 58.81 and 222 Pro40 runs from three innings.

Such form has seen the former Worcestershire keeper – who has made just one one-day and one Twenty20 appearance for England – become a regular in the second-string Lions this season.

And while Prior and Kieswetter continue to battle it out behind the stumps Stewart is adamant Davies can rival Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood for a place in England's middle order.

"I am a huge fan of Steve's and now I have seen him firsthand I know how much of an impressive cricketer he is," said former England captain Stewart, who won 133 Test and 170 one-day caps and was speaking in his role as an ambassador for Sportingbet.com.

"He is good enough to play for England just as a batsman, forget his wicketkeeping, he is good enough to get in that middle order with his batting.

"He can't get in the side at the moment because there are plenty of other good batsmen around but his talent is unbelievable.

"You always want competition and Matt Prior has got it and he is holding Craig and Steve off from the Test team at the moment.

"Steve is currently a squad player, he has been on the last couple of tours and he is waiting for that chance but there is no doubting his talent."

Stewart expects Prior to keep the England gloves for the upcoming four-match Test series against Pakistan ahead of Davies and Kieswetter as well as the Ashes later this year.

However should anything happen to the Sussex keeper, Stewart – England's most capped Test cricketer of all-time – believes Davies should be given the nod and not the much-preferred Kieswetter.

"If Matt Prior broke a finger tomorrow and I was a selector and I was asked who do you think should keep wicket I would go for Steve," added Stewart.

"I think he has slightly more about him as a Test cricketer than Craig Kieswetter. I am biased because I have seen more of Steve firsthand.

"But I think Steve is closer to the Test team than Craig is at the moment and I know he wants to play in any form of the game for England.

"He works hard, he has done really well for Surrey this year and I just expect him to keep getting better and better."

Alec Stewart is cricket ambassador for Sportingbet.com – English Cricket's best bet. Get to the heart of English Cricket this summer with in:play betting at www.sportingbet.com/englishcricket