Steven Finn
London: Fast bowler Steven Finn admitted today that he needed a break from cricket after being sent home from England's tour of Australia to work on his bowling action.
The 24-year-old did not play a part in England's Ashes whitewash defeat and was subsequently left out of the team that lost by six wickets in the opening one-day international in Melbourne. Limited-overs coach Ashley Giles announced yesterday that Finn would be returning to England and the Middlesex paceman concedes that it has been a frustrating time.
"As the series went on and as we moved into the one-day leg of the tour, it's clear that there are a couple of technical issues that I need to address," Finn said in a video posted on the England and Wales Cricket Board's YouTube channel.
"The decision was made by Ashley and (Middlesex director of cricket) Angus Fraser; a liaison between the two of them and people higher above.
"And going home and working on these aspects of my game would be the best place for me to do it, to get away from cricket for a couple of weeks because, at times, it's felt like I've been banging my head against a brick wall, trying to make it right and trying to prepare to play.
"To take myself out of this environment, a competitive environment, to get myself back to Middlesex and work with people that I've worked with for a long time before, I'm really looking forward to it."
Despite his recent problems, Finn does not believe it will take him long to recover his top form. "There's times on this trip where it's felt like it's so close to clicking," he said. "Even as recently as a couple of days ago, bowling in the nets before the Prime Minister's XI game, I bowled nicely.
"I bowled with decent pace, I bowled quite consistently, but it's the infrequency with which that's happened that's probably a little bit of the reason for me going home.
"It's close to clicking and it's not far away and I actually don't think it's going to take too much to get me back to where I want to be."
He admitted that he was "gutted" to leave the tour but added: "I think it's best for me that I go home now."
( Source : AFP )
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