Steven Finn's England revival delights Richard Johnson
Wednesday 5 August 2015 16:30, UK
Middlesex bowling coach Richard Johnson is delighted to see Steven Finn back to his best and with a smile on his face for England.
The Middlesex paceman was named man of the match and took eight wickets in England’s victory over Australia in the third Investec Ashes Test at Edgbaston to help his side take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Finn’s recent rejuvenation and his increasing importance to England in the current Ashes series is in stark contrast to the last time he featured in Australia.
He was sent home due to serious problems with his bowling technique that led to former national coach Ashley Giles describing Finn as ‘un-selectable’.
But after working hard with Johnson, England bowling coach Kevin Shine and staff at Loughborough University, Finn appears to be back to his best.
“It’s been pretty well documented he was in a pretty dark place when he came back and it’s taken a lot of hard work for him to come back and play Test cricket again,” Johnson told Sky Sports News HQ.
“We have a clip we use of him when he was performing well in the past and it was a case of using that to get him back to where he was before and then adding a bit more as well.
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“He’s had some very tough times but he works as hard as anyone I know. To see him smiling again on a cricket pitch with an England shirt on (at Edgbaston) was a very good moment.”
The ECB came in for criticism for their role in Finn’s problems with his technique but Johnson insists Middlesex have always worked closely with the governing body and feels Finn will have learned from his struggles.
“With every sportsman, tough times definitely help. He is now in a position where he knows his position really well and he knows what makes him tick and how to repair himself,” added Johnson.
“His action is good as I have seen it now and every professional sportsman will always tinker and want to get better.
“We’ve worked very closely with Kevin Shine and the guys at the ECB in a proper team effort to get him back on course.”
As for whether Finn will take the new ball for England in the fourth Ashes Test, which gets under way at Trent Bridge on Thursday, Johnson has no doubt Finn will be up to the task.
“I don’t know if he will take the new ball but I don’t expect him to have any problems if he does,” said Johnson.
“He has been doing it for Middlesex and doing it very well recently so I have no problems if he runs in first over. As long as he holding the seam up and shaping it away, I don’t mind.”
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