Middlesex's Steven Finn targets England Ashes tour

Finn was just 16-years-old when made his Middlesex debut

Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn is aiming to make his international debut in the Ashes tour Australia.

The 20-year-old pace man was called up to the England Lions squad for the first time on Sunday.

"I would jump at the chance to play for England and I'm sure I wouldn't do myself an injustice," Finn told BBC London 94.9.

"But I think, depending how this season goes, that it would be better for me to set my sights on next winter."

He added: "I want to fulfil my aspirations as soon as possible. I want to be one of the most capped players for England. The earlier I play, the more chance I've got of playing more games for England in my career."

I want to fulfil my aspirations as soon as possible. I want to be one of the most capped players for England.

Steven Finn

Finn became a first-team regular last season taking 53 wickets at an average of 30.64 in Division Two of the County Championship.

But the young bowler says he is trying to keep his feet on the ground and not let expectations get the better of him.

"Being 20 years old and being capped at Middlesex having taken 50 wickets last year, it's starting to catch up with me a little bit, but I take everything with a pinch of salt," he said.

"There's been expectations about me before, I'm six foot eight inches tall and people are saying: 'this lads going to play for England one day' but I try not to think about that.

"I just try to think about what I need to do to perform on each given day."

Finn was part of the squad that won the Twenty20 Cup for Middlesex in 2008 and played in the Stanford Super Series against England, as he will do again for the England Lions on the tour of the United Arab Emirates.

Despite missing out on promotion back to the top flight of English cricket last season Finn is hopeful that Middlesex will improve in 2010 with New Zealander Iain O'Brien and, potentially, South African Makhaya Ntini joining the squad.

"We've struggled and we're in the second division of the County Championship and last year we were in the second division of the Pro40.

"I think it's no coincidence why we were there. We needed to string performances together and we didn't.

"But I think with Gus [managing director of cricket Angus Fraser] at the helm and the signings that he's making, I think we're in a far better position than we have been in any of the last however many years."