Finn set to fight for his place

Seamer Steven Finn has accepted it could take "a year or two" to regain the England spot he lost during the Ashes.

Finn was a first-choice pick for the winter tour after enjoying an impressive start to his international career but was left out after the third Test in favour of Tim Bresnan, who performed admirably in Finn's place. At that stage the Middlesex man was the top wicket-taker in the series with 14, though his control and economy were not as good as they could have been.

"I don't think anyone has ever gone through international cricket without being dropped or left out of a team, so hopefully it's something that will benefit me in the long run," the 21-year-old told ESPNcricinfo. "If it takes me a year or two to get back into the international team then so be it, but I'd back myself to be a better bowler when I get into the team."

He added: "I'm not looking too far ahead, I'm just trying to be a key player for Middlesex and then see where that gets me.

"I'm not going to say I want to take millions of wickets early season and get picked in the Test squad, I just want to perform consistently and put my name into the hat."

Reflecting on his Ashes experience, Finn sees positives and negatives in his own efforts.

"To take 14 Ashes wickets in three Tests was a great feeling, but I'm well aware that I went for too many runs and it's the reason I got left out of the team," Finn said.

"It's important that I learn from what I did wrong in the Ashes series and make myself a better player.

"They were an amazing five or six weeks, having never seen an England team win in Australia and hear about how much of a formidable place it is, to win was amazing - but that's been and gone now.

"It's important we don't look back in the past. Yes, we won the Ashes this winter and it was amazing, but there's going to be a lot hard work now that will make me a better cricketer."