England’s Steven Finn leaves the pitch after his side’s win in the third Ashes test match. Finn had match figures of 8-117 – not bad for someone famously deemed ‘unselectable’ just 18 months ago.Philip Brown/Reuters
Once known for hitting the stumps at the wrong end as he ran in to bowl, Steven Finn made a triumphant return to Test cricket at Edgbaston, extracting maximum bounce and spearheading England to an eight-wicket victory Friday over Australia in the third Ashes Test with a career-best 6-79.
"I did doubt at times whether I would be playing Test match cricket again, but I also had that deep-down belief," the fast bowler said.
Finn had match figures of 8-117 – not bad for someone famously deemed "unselectable" just 18 months ago after a loss of confidence.
He made his Test debut as far back as 2010 but hadn't played for his country in this format in two years after problems with his bowling action – including an unfortunate tendency to hit the stumps with his knee as he ran in.
England won with more than two days to spare to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 121 to win, England finished its second innings on 124-2 in the middle session of the third day, propelled by Ian Bell's second half-century of the Test.
Finn had 2-38 in the first innings – including the always dangerous Steve Smith for seven – and 6-79 in the second, again claiming Smith for eight. In the Lord's Test, Smith had scored a combined total of 273 runs.
For the Middlesex bowler, the first Smith dismissal was "as nice a feeling I've had when taking a wicket ever … the first one back in Test cricket meant a lot to me."
That double strike showed the 26-year-old Finn's ability to get wickets when really needed and helped to earn him the man of the match award in his 24th Test.
"For Steven to do what he's done in this game after two years out was absolutely fantastic," England captain Alastair Cook said.
Finn will have even more to do in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge with main strike bowler James Anderson definitely out with a side strain but targeting a return for the final Test. England's all-time leading wicket taker took 6-47 in Australia's first innings.
Bell, promoted to No. 3 for the Test, finished 65 not out Friday, with Joe Root undefeated on 38. The pair came together on 51-2 with work still to be done.
Earlier, Australia was all out for 265 in its second innings just before lunch.