Steven Finn added to England squad after recovering from foot injury

Jonny Bairstow goes into the opening warm-up game of England’s tour of South Africa, against an Invitational XI at Potchefstroom tomorrow, knowing that he is at last England’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Test cricket, having twice been handed the role mid-series following an incumbent’s loss of form.

The Middlesex bowler played in two of the three T20s for the England Lions against their Pakistan counterparts, recording figures of three for 22 and one for 30, and impressed the selectors enough to be summoned for the Test side.

Finn impressed in England’s Ashes win over Australia in the summer, but now faces plenty of competition for a place in England’s seam attack alongside James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Although England are satisfied the injury to his left foot is fully recovered, they are aware he will need more time to regain match fitness and are targeting the second Test in Cape Town, starting on January 2, for Finn’s possible return.

“I’ve been actually happy with the best way issues have gone with the Lions”, Finn stated in a information launch on Monday.

‘Obviously comparing yourself to someone like AB is going to be a fantastic challenge and if you do come out being the better of the wicketkeeper-batsmen then I will have had a very good tour’. “I’m excited by the prospect of linking up with the team out in South Africa”.

“That’s when I play my best cricket and hopefully I’ll be able to do that not only in the warm-up games but going into the series”.

“We hope that we start extremely well at Kingsmead in the Boxing Day Test match to kick-start the confidence again for all the batsmen”.

Already dropped five times in his 20 Test career, Bairstow is on his best run of games with six in a row, although he has only just taken the gloves.

However, Bairstow does not have fond memories of his only previous December 26 outing – against Australia in Melbourne two years ago.