Finn hopes yoga will breathe new life into his England bid
best from the Curran brothers, Tomm and Sam, two of the most talented youngoungsters in the country. Mark Stonemaneman and Scott Borthwick have arrived from Durham, doubtless hoping to improveprove their international prospects. As always, Surrey’s hierarchy and memembers have high expectations.
“It was great to see how Alastairtair Cook worked as England captain and Trevor Bayliss as coach,” said Batty. “Even on a difficult tour, there was a powerful feeling of togetherness about the squad. It’s what you need to bee successful and what I’m confident wewe will have at Surrey this summer.” THE defending champions look strong again, n, even though they have made no new signings gs over the winter and have allowed seam bowler James Harris to move to Kent on loan for the early part of the summer. With Steven Finn and Toby Roland-Jones leading the attack, they should certainly be threatening in April and May, when weather and pitches aid seam and swing. Much is expected ted of 22-year-old Tom Helm, to the extent Harris was alloweded to move. Director of cricket Angus Fraser deserves hugee credit. When he arrived in 2009, Middlesex were driftingg in Division Two. Thanks to his careful work behind the scenes, nes, they are the team to beat. STEVEN FINN has overhauled his fitness and training regime in a bid to be called up by England in every format of the game.
The fast bowler’s domestic ambitions get under way for Middlesex a week today when the Division One champions take on Hampshire.
But Finn (below), who turned 28 on Tuesday, believes he is in the form and fitness to put himself in contention to start for England rather than carry the drinks as he did during the Test series in India over the winter.
“I’ve managed to get into a bit of a different fitness regime and routine as the new year turned, and a different eating pattern,” he said, tightening up his diet and relying more heavily on yoga.
“I feel a lot better and more energetic for it. I’m feeling in good shape, good rhythm, good form and hopefully I can translate that into the games.
“We all make decisions as cricketers to better ourselves and I wouldn’t have done that in the early part of the year if it wasn’t to better myself, so I’m looking forward to the summer.
“It’s as simple as eating a little bit better, doing a lot more yoga — it’s about making sure I’m as fit and lean as possible, and hopefully that translates to being able to bowl quicker and for longer.”
One of England’s centrally contracted players, Finn endured a frustfrustrating winter totouring for EEngland, playing no part in their five-match Test series in India.
It is seven years sisince he made his TeTest debut against BangBangladesh in ChittagoChittagong, yet he has just 36 cacaps and has been in and out of the one-day set-up.
He was overlookoverlooked for 27 consecutive ODIsODIs, as well as being left out of the squsquad for the onedayday series on the sub-continent.
But he was given the opportunity to play in the oneone-dayers against West Indies last monthm in which he took four wicketswickets.
And, ahead of a packed year, with the Champions TrTrophy, Test series against West IndiIndies and Pakistan, plus the looming Ashes, Finn has lofty ambitions forfo his country.
“I’ve been arounaround a long time and played a bit of cricketcric for England but not as much as I could — but that’s only down tto me,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got a llot more to offer England in all formatsform of the game and I suppose thesthese first few weeks of the season are thet start of trying to be a regular in aall three teams.”