ASHLEY Giles has urged Kyle Jarvis to go easy on himself as he looks to forge a successful career with Lancashire.

The former Zimbabwe Test fast bowler made an eye-catching start to 2015 earlier this week with second-innings figures of 5-13 in their opening round LV= County Championship win over Derbyshire at the County Ground.

This is Jarvis’s second full season with the county having retired from international cricket to take up a Kolpak contract in August 2013.

But he has only played eight Championship matches with a previous best haul of three wickets coming on debut against Kent at Canterbury at the end of the 2013 summer.

He arrived in England expecting a smoother ride than he has had, with a number of injury problems adding to his frustrations.

The 26-year-old has spoken more than once about how he has put significant pressure on himself to perform for Lancashire, but after taking five wickets earlier this week, he admitted it was time to forget the past and relax.

And that will be music to the ears of cricket director and head coach Giles.

Ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Kent at Emirates Old Trafford, he said: “After the trials and worries he’s had over the last couple of years, to perform like that will be a real boost to him.

“I’ve seen a lot of him through the winter. When we started pre-season, it was wide open with all the bowlers as to who was going to start apart from Peter Siddle.

“Over that period, Jarv has impressed on a number of occasions.

“At times, he might be expensive, but he will go through spells where he will get wickets because he’s got pace and bowls those sort of angles that nip back into the right-hander.

“He will get a lot of lbws and a lot of bowleds, and I think he will get wickets in clumps, as he did. To have someone like that who you can turn to is important.

“He’s just got to be careful that he doesn’t get down on himself because he does that very quickly. He’s got a lot of good stuff about him.

“Anyone needs to feel settled and happy in a dressing room environment, and the best way to do that is by having success.”

Kent lost their Championship opener against Essex at Chelmsford earlier this week.