STEVEN FINN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - "Gutted" Finn desperate to be back in England team

In an exclusive interview, Steven Finn reveals just how hard it has been missing England’s test series against Pakistan in the UAE, and his desperation to get back in the team to face South Africa.

England bowler Steven Finn says he’s hoping to be back bowling in three weeks after being left “gutted” by the injury that ended his tour of the United Arab Emirates.

The 26-year-old flew home from the series with Pakistan before the first Test with a stress reaction of the foot - another setback having only just got his place back in the side following a two-year absence.

But, speaking exclusively to Yahoo Sport UK, Finn says he hopes to train with the England Performance Programme at the end of November in the UAE ahead of the tour of South Africa.

“I was gutted at that time but you almost have to look at the positives as well because it’s given the rest of my body a six-week break to recover,” he said.

“It was stretched as much as it possibly could have been after a long couple of years of working to get back to playing for England again.

“I put in hundreds and hundreds of hours. That takes its toll, so I think the rest of my body will be glad for the break but deep down I’m gutted I’m not there.

“I was really happy with how I was bowling. I was quick, had control and enjoyed the reverse swinging ball, which was a big thing out there.”

Finn took 4-16 from 15 overs in a warm-up match in Sharjah having been recalled to the Test side this summer after two years out of the Test side as he rebuilt his action.

The Watford-born quick picked up eight wickets in the third Test against Australia on his return for England this summer with the man credited for helping him turn the corner, his bowling coach at Middlesex Richard Johnson, commenting he was bowling better than ever.

But Finn says the recovery is progressing well and he hopes to bounce back quickly: “I have a big moon boot on at the moment. It’s a sesamoid injury in the ball of my foot and all your weight goes through it when you walk.

“But there’s no pain when I’m being prodded and when I’m jumping in tests so the early signs are positive - it just needs time to heal.

“I had an operation the other day to remove a problematic toe nail as well but I’m aiming for South Africa and I think that’s quite realistic.

“The plan is for me to go out to Dubai, probably with the England Performance Programme for ten days of the tour when the England lads are playing the Twenty20s.

“I can get some practice, acclimatise and then just build up as normal for the tour to South Africa - that’s the plan but things can change quite quickly, so we’ll just see.”

England trail Pakistan one-nil in the three Test series and begin the final match on Sunday but Finn feels the signs of progress are there for all to see.

“Even though the lads are one down in Dubai they have shown a huge amount of skill and application.

“They’ve adapted to conditions and nearly winning that first Test was a fantastic effort and then in the second Test it was that one spell that lost it, where Wahab Riaz blew the middle order away.

“So we’ve been neck and neck with Pakistan and it’s a shame that we’re one-nil down.”

One of the major factors of Finn’s progression this year has been his ability to move the ball both ways with swing and seam and the 6’8” quick believes he could have contributed a great deal in the series.

“It’s difficult to get the balls swinging out there because it is a Kookaburra so conventional swing is hard work,“ he said.

“But reverse swing played a big part in the first couple of Tests, where you can sneak out the odd wicket and then the spinners can attack, so I’d like to think that I could have helped over there but that’s gone now.

“I can’t dwell on what could have been, I just have to focus on what can be.”

Steven Finn is an Investec Test cricket ambassador. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/pb.