4 Jun 2015 | Cricket
Steven Finn says the start of this summer's NatWest T20 Blast has coincided with his best bowling form of the year.
The Middlesex and England fast bowler has been steadily working his way back from a dip in confidence suffered during the 2013-14 Ashes tour of Australia, and this week was named in Eoin Morgan's England squad for the five-match one-day international series against New Zealand starting on Tuesday.
Finn played in four of England's 50-over games at the World Cup in February and March, but was also included in the washed-out international against Ireland in Dublin on May 8 and he has not played a Test match since July 2013.
For Middlesex so far this season though, the 26-year-old believes his bowling is getting back to its best - in both four-day LV= County Championship and T20 formats.
In Middlesex's two T20 Blast victories against Kent and Sussex, Finn has bowled with notable fire and accuracy to take three wickets at a cost of just 37 runs from his seven overs.
In championship cricket he has more than 20 wickets and said: I felt in our first T20 game, against Kent at Lord's that I was bowling as well as I've done for a long time, and it certainly felt as good as it's been this year.
I've felt pretty good all year, to be honest and although I've been a bit unlucky not to take more wickets in the championship it hasn't mattered that much because the team have been winning.
The ball is coming out well and I'm getting it through. I've just been concentrating on letting my bowling do the talking for me this year, and I have been working hard on my lines. Everything about my bowling has been good this summer so far.
Middlesex take on Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl tonight night before travelling to Cardiff.
For both Finn and England colleague Morgan it will be their last game for Middlesex before joining up with the international squad this weekend, while Paul Stirling misses the Hampshire game due to Ireland commitments.
Left-arm spinner Ravi Patel is still out with a broken thumb, while paceman Tim Murtagh is another injury absence.