By Oliver Brett

Jones had a terrific impact in the early part of the 2008 summer

Simon Jones became a household name during the famous Ashes summer of 2005, but either side of that climactic series he has been beset by injuries.

July 2009 witnesses the start of the next home series against the Aussies, and frustratingly the strapping Welsh paceman - who turned 30 years old on Christmas Day - is again not quite as fit as his fans would hope for.

In theory, he should be fine by next April, when England's selectors will monitor his return with some trepidation. Through bitter experience, they know it's a bit like watching a toddler walking on a greasy floor with a Ming vase in his hands.

Even now, with his body preventing him from running let alone bowling, Jones is not averse to talking up his international claims even though it's a matter of weeks since his last round of knee surgery.

"I won't be running now until January and won't be bowling until January either, but by mid-April I'll be fine, I'm not worried at all," he tells BBC Sport.

"I still want to play for England again. I want to play in the Ashes next year if I can. If I have a good start to the season and push for a place I don't see why not.

"I'll try to concentrate on my own game, get back into the season and see what happens."

For much of our conversation - at a coaching event organised by the Professional Cricketers' Association - he gingerly feels that problem right knee. It might just be subconscious; let's hope so.

HIGHS AND LOWS HIGH: In 2002, aged 23, makes Test debut v India at Lord's, scoring 44 from 43 balls and taking four wickets LOW: Five months later, ruptures cruciate ligament in Brisbane on opening day of Ashes series HIGH: In March 2004, takes 5-57 in an innings v West Indies in Trinidad - England win series 3-0 LOW: Ankle injury in fourth Ashes Test of 2005 keeps him out of decider... Twists ankle again prior to first Test in India (February 2006), barely plays for rest of the year as knee problems resurface HIGH: After a tough 2007 season, moves from Glamorgan to Worcestershire and has a great start to the summer LOW: Renaissance cut short as injuries creep in, and in October he has another knee operation

"I know if my own game is working well for me then maybe the call will come," he says. You have to be positive, you have to believe in yourself if you want to get to the top.

"You never lose that ambition, I don't care how old you are. You could speak to someone who's 60-odd, they still have that ambition, they want to go back in time."

England's marquee success in the 2005 Ashes may not have been achieved without Jones's 18 wickets at 21 runs apiece in four matches, at a strike rate of one wicket every 34 deliveries.

And yet, even within that famous summer, he was the one England player who could not last the whole series, whose body broke down - predictably it has to be said - before the tense denouement in south London.

It is extremely sad that Jones has played only 18 Tests since an impressive debut at Lord's in 2002 against India - when he counted Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman among his four victims and hit a swashbuckling 44.

His most serious injury was the cruciate ligament rupture to his right knee on day one of the 2002-03 Ashes. With immense courage he fought back to star in the return series two-and-a-half years later, but one injury after another has kept him out for long spells since then.

606: DEBATE I think Jones is a great bowler, but it's clear that his body just isn't up to the rigours of the game. Can't see him ever featuring for England again stev666

But he could not finish the season fit, and if England were to pick him next summer it would clearly be something of a gamble.

Typical of a man who has faced the demons of injury so often in the past, Jones himself is confident there is little to worry about as he goes through his latest spell of rehab.

"I'm in Worcester three days a week with the fitness guy up there," he explains. "It'll get harder come January, hopefully we'll hit the season running and in good nick."

"The body's fine, I've come off the crutches and the knee's feeling good. Andy Williams my surgeon is really happy with how the cleaning up went. The cartilage had got a little bit rough and ragged and we have been really conservative with regards to rehab and not rushing."

Having searched so long for the mystery ingredient to both surprise and upset the Australians, England found it in 2005 with reverse swing.

Jones and Andrew Flintoff were chief architects as the old ball swung through batsman's defences or caught the edge.

Bowling Michael Clarke with a superb inswinger at Old Trafford in 2005

"It was a bit different last year, you could hardly call it a summer because of the amount of rain we had," he says. "We had a couple of shiny weeks and then it just went all wrong. It does suit me more in the dry because the ball gets rough and does swing a bit more."

While the weather is one of the uncontrollable factors, the personnel selected for this latest Ashes mission will not be. The man expected to coach England, Peter Moores, has come under pressure in some quarters but he has an ally in Jones.

"Mooresy's a great coach and a great motivator and he will bring the best out in the lads, but when the boys are on the field they have to do the job," he says.

"He will do as much as he can off the field - I can guarantee you that because I worked with him in the academy and he was very, very good. I don't see why not playing for your country shouldn't make you a good coach, people have good cricket brains regardless of the level they play.

"I think he's done a good job so far. He's lost us a couple of games and people are jumping on the bandwagon. Hopefully when results start turning for him people will lay off his back."

Moores's future as England's coach could live or die with success or failure in next summer's Ashes. With Ryan Sidebottom struggling with injuries, and Matthew Hoggard currently out of favour, a fully-fit Jones could make all the difference.

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