Finn dodged boot camp to answer England call (From The Northern Echo)

Finn dodged boot camp to answer England call

9:39am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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STEVEN Finn has revealed how he has swapped an ‘‘army boot camp’’ for an important role in England’s first Test against Bangladesh.

Finn was called into the squad as cover when England’s bowlers suffered a number of injuries, and was a surprise inclusion in Chittagong as the tourists opted against a second spinner on a flat, dusty track.

The 20-year-old took one wicket in the first innings and has one for 31 from 11 overs in the second as a gutsy stand between Junaid Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim saw Bangladesh to 191 for five and denied England an early finish.

The conditions in Chittagong are hardly those to make a young paceman’s eyes light up, but for Finn it is much preferable to the alternative.

‘‘By no means ten days ago when I was lying in bed in my flat did I think I would be playing Test match cricket now,’’ admitted the 6ft 8in bowler.

‘‘In fact, as we speak I would probably been getting woken up by an army officer in Exeter.

‘‘At Middlesex we had an army boot camp planned.

Angus (Fraser, director of cricket) said ’Last year the team went to Dubai and didn’t do very well so you’re going to boot camp this year’.

‘‘I’d be in the middle of a forest in a tent by now probably.’’ Finn added: ‘‘This is a fantastic opportunity for me.

Since I was just a little kid this is something that I’ve aimed towards.

‘‘Fundamentally every young lad who plays cricket wants to play Test matches.

By no means had I built up a picture in my mind that it was going to be easy and bowling on the flat track out there proved that.’’ Finn’s rapid emergence, coupled with an imposing frame that has earned him the nickname of ’Avatar’ from Graeme Swann, has led to plenty of buzz around his potential.

But while some have already pencilled him in as the man to fill Steve Harmison’s shoes in this winter’s Ashes and beyond, Finn is more circumspect in his ambitions.

‘‘I’m not thinking too far ahead,’’ he said. A week ago I was just looking hoping to go back to Middlesex, get picked in the first championship team and hopefully take some wickets.

‘‘I’m trying just to take every game of cricket as it comes, whether it’s for Middlesex seconds or England.

‘‘By no means am I targeting an Ashes tour. I’d love to be there but there’s a lot of hard work between now and then.

‘‘I’ve been performing well now for a month but I have to prove I can do that over seven months of a county season.’’ Junaed Siddique was the main thorn in England’s side as they attempted to force victory with a day to spare.

He survived unscathed on 68 after 199 balls and is hoping to stay the course again tomorrow.

‘‘This was the first time I have faced so many balls in a Test match,’’ he said. ‘‘I was committed within myself and I tried to battle using my strengths.

‘‘Things can change overnight but I believe if we can survive a little while it could be a problem for them.

‘‘We will try to occupy the crease and if we can get a good partnership going the positives will come.’’

Score board

Bangladesh v England At Chittagong

Overnight: Bangladesh 296 (Tamim Iqbal 86, Mushfiqur Rahim 79, MohammadMahmudullah 51; G P Swann 5-90). England 599-6 dec (A N Cook 173, P DCollingwood 145, K P Pietersen 99, I R Bell 84) and 131-5.

England Second Innings

I R Bell not out ................................39

M J Prior c Shahadat Hossain b Shakib Al Hasan ..........................7

G P Swann c Siddique b Shakib Al Hasan 32

Extras (b5 lb2 nb2 pens 0) ..9

Total 7 wkts dec (49.3 overs) ......................209

Fall: 1-65 2-87 3-126 4-130 5-131 6-144 7-209

Did Not Bat: S C J Broad, T T Bresnan, S T Finn.

Bowling: Shahadat Hossain 6-0-19-0.

Rubel Hossain 6-1-28-0. Mahmudullah 8- 0-26-1. Naeem Islam 3-0-14-0. Shakib Al Hasan 16.3-1-62-4. Abdur Razzak 10-2- 53-2.

Bangladesh Second Innings Close

Iqbal b Swann ................................14

Kayes c Prior b Finn ........................23

Siddique not out ............................68

Aftab Ahmed c Prior b Bresnan ......26

Mahmudullah b Bresnan ................5

Shakib Al Hasan lbw b Swann ..........4

Mushfiqur Rahim not out ................47

Extras (b2 lb2 pens 0) ..........4

Total 5 wkts (75 overs)......191

Fall: 1-33 2-45 3-99 4-105 5-110

To Bat: Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain.

Bowling: Broad 12-5-34-0. Bresnan 16-4- 45-2. Finn 11-4-31-1. Swann 29-6-61-2.

Pietersen 5-1-11-0. Trott 2-0-5-0.