by Our Sports Desk

CHRIS WOAKES was eager to regain his England place yesterday after injury left him watching the Ashes success from a distance.

Woakes was seen as a key player by former national coach Peter Moores but a foot injury sustained during the World Cup and a subsequent knee complaint kept him sidelined until the middle of July.

With Moores sacked, he missed the entirety of the New Zealand tour under caretaker Paul Farbrace as well as the early days of Trevor Bayliss’s reign.

Woakes was invited to net with England at Edgbaston and his name was discussed when James Anderson withdrew from the decisive fourth Test against Australia, though the 26-year-old was still receiving treatment on his knee.

Tomorrow, he will be back in the spotlight as Birmingham Bears take on Essex in the T20 Blast quarter-finals where he has a chance to stake a claim for the forthcoming limited-overs leg against Australia.

“The Ashes was always a target for me but Trent Bridge probably came a fraction early for me,” he said.

“You need to be fully fit and firing for a Test match and I’d had a couple of injections on the knee that needed three or four days to settle down.

“But England have been in touch, Farby is the sort of character who likes to keep people in the loop and he’s been on the phone, along with (national selector) James Whitaker, so the communication has been good.

“In the back of my mind I had hoped to make the fifth Test but it makes complete sense to go in with the same players after what they’ve done.

“Now it’s up to me to put in performances for Warwickshire and keep myself in the frame.

“Fingers crossed if my knee holds up over the next few weeks I will be available for the one-day series and I’ll be trying my best to catch the eye.

“The guys are enjoying themselves, playing good attacking cricket and backing each other. I’d love to be a part of it again.”