Simon Jones says he is 'desperate' to stay at Worcestershire and believes he will be at peak fitness for the start of the 2010 season.
Paceman confident he will be fit for the start of next season
Simon Jones says he is 'desperate' to stay at Worcestershire and believes he will be at peak fitness for the start of the 2010 season.
The injury-stricken paceman is out of contract at New Road at the end of the current campaign, in which the former England bowler will play no part due to a knee injury.
The 30-year-old was forced to undergo another operation on his knee during the winter and had hoped to be fit for the new season.
But the knee did not respond to treatment and the Welshman has been told he needs more time to allow the problem to heal.
It is a poignant summer for Jones, who played an important part in England's Ashes victory four years ago but has not figured in the international set-up since.
Awaiting news
However, he remains confident he can do a job for Worcestershire, for whom he took 42 wickets in nine county championship matches in 2008.
But he is waiting on the club for news of a new contract, and he is desperate to be given more time to prove he can still perform on a regular basis.
"I still haven't heard anything. The club have got to think about what they want to do and, whatever that is, there is nothing I can do about it," he said.
"It is a bit of a waiting game which is a little bit frustrating.
"I don't know what to think. We will just have to wait and see what they come up with. I've carried on my training here so I am doing everything I can to keep myself fit and to keep myself occupied.
"It is not a very nice situation to be in. You'd rather know one way or another but at the end of the day it is the club's decision and I've got to wait and see.
"At the end of the day I have just got to be patient and I hope it works in my favour because I am desperate to stay at Worcester.
"I love the changing room and the lads and everyone around it. I think it is a fantastic place to play."
Confident
Jones added that his troublesome knees will definitely stand up to the rigours of playing - provided luck plays its part.
"I am so confident at the moment at the way the winter is going to go. I know I will be fit next year," he added.
"It is a definite thing. It is one of those things. I've just got to prove my fitness and I know I will and hopefully things will work in my favour.
"I need a bit of luck. It has been a bad couple of years. I thought things had changed last year. I got 42 wickets for nothing really in the championship.
"I just want to play the game I love without waking up in the morning thinking I've got to have a concoction of painkillers."
