SPEND five minutes talking to Jason Roy and it is almost impossible to miss it.

It's not just the fading South African twang to Roy's accent that immediately gets you thinking of Kevin Pietersen. There is the same steel in the eye, the same air of confidence, the same imposing and powerful physique.

Out in the middle the comparisons continue. Both stand tall at the crease and look to dominate the bowling. And both strike the ball as cleanly as you're likely to see.

Of course, 20-year-old Roy has some way to go to emulate the achievements of his world famous Surrey team-mate, but the youngster's ambition is clear.

"Yeah absolutely," he replies instantly, when asked whether playing for England was his long-term aim. "For a lot of youngsters it is, but for me especially I am working very hard to make it happen.

"That is my goal, and not just to play for England but to be the very best as well."

This is a big season for the former Whitgift pupil. After stamping his mark in the shorter forms of the game last summer, he is determined to force his way into Chris Adams' four day team.

His explosive hitting is undoubted. Roy has broken records at almost every age group level and became the first player in Surrey history to hit a Twenty20 ton in the Lions match at Kent last season. But the club's management still have reservations about his temperament in the longer format. He was left out of the team for the opening two Championship matches against Northants and Glamorgan.

But the Reigate Priory club cricketer is adamant this is the year he will break through.

"Last year was a great season, it gave me a bit if a sneak preview to how it all worked and I loved it," he said. "Now I've got to kick on and try to grab the opportunity with two hands and see where it takes me.

"I want to keep going with the one day stuff, I think the Twenty20 game will be a big part of my career. But I want to really nail the four day stuff, I want to get stuck in and really make an impact.

"I've got to become more adaptive to all the different versions of the game because that makes the best players."

One of the problems Roy has had in his fledgling career is working out exactly where he is best suited in the batting order.

He bats mainly in the top three in one-day cricket but in the few Championship games he has played he has come in lower down.

"Wherever they put me I'm happy," he said diplomatically. "They've opened me, they've tried me at a few other places. Batted three, batted six or seven on debut and I like opening as well.

"The ball comes on to the bat and I like to hit the ball hard. The harder the better."

His desire to improve led him back to his native South Africa – Roy's family moved to the UK when he was 10 years old – over the winter.

"I went over to train at the Shedders Academy in Durban," he explained. "It's run by Andrew Shedlock and he's got the likes of Shaun Pollock and Lance Kluesener coming in and helping out.

"It helped me a lot with my batting and bowling. But the main aim for me was my fitness, I wanted to come back a lot fitter and trimmer and I did that."

The new and the improved Roy is confident of good things for Surrey this year. The sole aim for all involved at the club is promotion to division one.

"There's such an amazing vibe in the dressing-room," he said. "I haven't been involved for too long but it's amazing to see how focused everyone is to achieve their personal goals and to try and back each other up.

"There is a huge ambition to win the league, massive."

With the squad they have assembled Surrey have a good chance.

Although Pietersen's involvement is almost certain to be a limited one, because of his commitments with England, Roy feels just having players of his calibre in the dressing-room is bound to have a positive impact.

"It's amazing to be able to go after training and speak to guys like that and say how would you do that, just pick their brains," he said. "It's nice to have them backing you as well, saying well played or just telling you do this, do that, that sort of thing really helps."

And even if KP does only feature sporadically for the county this season, in Roy the Lions have a ready make replacement hungry to make his mark.