Firing Finn could return on Boxing Day

STEVEN FINN has emerged as a surprise contender for the first Test after impressing England with the speed of his comeback since being added to their South African tour party less than a week ago. Finn could be fast-tracked into the Boxing Day Test in Durban ahead of England’s original fast bowling picks for this trip of Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan and the newcomer Mark Footitt, who disappointed in his first appearance. It seemed as though Finn would miss this four-Test series altogether with the stress injury to his left foot that forced him home from the United Arab Emirates before the series against Pakistan had even begun. But, after proving his fitness with the Lions in Dubai, Finn was quickly added to the main England party and confirmed his readiness by working with bowling coach Ottis Gibson in the nets at Potchefstroom while Footitt struggled. Now England must decide whether to throw Finn (right) into action tomorrow against a stronglooking South Africa A side here in their final warm-up match before deciding on the best support for Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad. ‘He has been excellent,’ said Gibson of Finn, who made a spectacular return to Test cricket against Australia at Edgbaston last summer. ‘He has obviously done a lot of work in the UAE and the guys over there who looked after him did a great job getting him up to speed.’ Such are the demands of a series which sees four Tests virtually back-toback that England may rest both Anderson and Broad in Pietermaritzburg even though they only bowled 11.1 overs between them against an Invitational XI. The second Test in Cape Town starts just two days after the first one in Durban is due to finish, leaving England concerned they would be asking too much of their big two to play three games in less than three weeks. That means Finn, Woakes and Jordan could all play here, turning this final warmup into a virtual eliminator for the last place. ‘We won’t necessarily

play our first-choice attack in Pietermaritzburg because you have to look at the long term,’ said Gibson. ‘There is an opportunity to look at somebody else while having the chance to prepare others outside of the practice game.’ Anderson will almost certainly sit tomorrow’s game out to continue easing his way into the tour. ‘He’s a very experienced senior pro and he knows exactly what he needs to get himself ready for a Test,’ said Gibson. ‘You treat him slightly differently to someone who’s just coming in. He has earned that.’ It would be a surprise now Footitt were to force his way into contention after a nervy first appearance for the full England side at the age of 30. ‘He’s been around a long time and has worked out how to take wickets in firstclass cricket and he’ll take some time to do the same in Tests,’ said Gibson. ‘It’s another step up. He’s got Anderson and Broad to learn from and I’ll help him as much as I can because that’s what I love doing.’ Nick Compton seems to have done enough to have edged out Gary Ballance in the battle to replace Ian Bell at No 3 and England will want him and Alex Hales to spend as much time as possible in the middle to prepare for their trial by pace at the hands of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.