STEVEN FINN INTERVIEW - Current crop of England bowlers can create something special

England quick Steven Finn tells Kevin Hand that the current crop of bowlers can create something “quite cool” in the coming years.

Steven Finn has warned against talk of a “golden era” but believes the current rich crop of England bowlers have the potential to create something “quite cool” in the years to come.

Finn, who missed the UAE tour through injury, is also sidelined for start of the South Africa tour and with Mark Wood also injured, the Test squad sees Chris Jordan and Mark Foottit in alongside James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes.

But Finn, who still hopes to join the South Africa tour at some stage, believes the bowlers did an outstanding job in tough conditions against Pakistan in UAE and thinks there’s plenty more to come.

In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Sport UK, Finn said: “We’ve got good strength in depth in the seam bowling department, there are guys pushing to be in the team and that’s healthy. I think we’ve got a chance of doing something quite cool over the next few years.

“We don’t want to label it like a golden era - that would be foolish to start talking about ourselves like that – but we all get on together, we enjoy each others company: talking about bowling and just generally trying to get better as a group.

“South Africa is a great place to continue the work that’s been done.”

Finn made his Test debut in 2010 and took the international team by storm when he became the youngest England bowler to 50 Test scalps.

After a two-year absence that lead to him rebuilding his action, he returned to the Test team in the summer only for a foot injury to knock him out of the Pakistan series.

But Finn remains in a positive mood and hopes to secure his place for some time to come in the strong bowling line-up led by England’s leading wicket taker, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who sits fourth on that list.

“If we keep looking after what we each do and each bring to the attack then there’s no reason why we can’t stay together as a unit for a while,“ added Finn.

England play the first of four Tests against South Africa in Durban on Boxing Day with a five-match one-day series followed by two Twenty20 internationals.

The hosts are a long way clear in the ICC Test rankings but Finn says England’s bowlers can match their feared counterparts.

“I’ve got a huge amount of respect for the South Africans, they’re a fantastic team and I love watching their bowlers bowl,” he said.

“I’ve never actually played international cricket out there so I’m looking forward to hopefully sinking my teeth into adapting to those conditions at some stage. They’ll be completely different to what we found in Dubai and the bowlers will enjoy it far more.

“The pitches will have a bit more bounce and carry in them and the red ball will conventionally swing for that bit longer.

"Those things play into the hands of our attack but we will be in the backyard of the world’s number one team.”

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