Competitive cricket crucial - Finn

Steven Finn prizes match bowling above all as Ashes preparation - but if England's management team decide to ration his competitive workload he knows they will get it right.

England have selected Finn and the remainder of their anticipated Test XI to face South Australia in Adelaide. However, Finn and the remainder of England's first-choice Test attack may be spared the trip to Hobart to take on Australia A next week, instead heading straight to Brisbane to acclimatise for the first Test.

"Playing three games is good for us - three games against competitive teams is massively important for us," said Finn.

"To get those overs into your legs is important.

"I bowled 35 overs in the last game. That helps massively, and to play competitive cricket is great."

England have worked hard in the nets before each of the first two of their three warm-up fixtures. But Finn believes there is no adequate replacement for the real thing.

"That is the best way to do it, because there is nothing that replicates competitive matches.

"It's totally different to making nets competitive. You can make nets competitive to a certain extent. But to put yourself into a game situation and have something riding on it makes it a lot more realistic."

As for the latest plans being worked out by coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss, Finn confirmed: "I've got no idea what's going to be happening.

"It's an option the management are looking into, but it doesn't matter to me. Having bowled 35 overs in the last game, I'm sure the management will make a decision closer to Hobart - if they feel we need more bowling, or whatever."