KENT off-spinner James Tredwell flew home from England’s one-day international tour of New Zealand on Sunday without having bowled a ball, yet he did so firmly in the belief his form and fitness levels are as good as they ever have been.

The all-rounder from Ashford, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Wednesday (February 27), failed to get a game during England’s four-week, seven-match trip, yet in terms of his cricketing education Tredwell believes the tour will prove invaluable.

Tredwell said: “At the outset of the tour there was always a chance I wouldn’t play because Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire off-spinner) had gone so well for England in Sri Lanka before Christmas.

“I realised I was coming to New Zealand to try and force him out of the squad, so I attacked the tour thinking I might not get a game but that I’d give it my best shot.

“In one way I’m disappointed I didn’t get a game because I trained really hard and the net sessions and practice went really well, but in another way it was to be expected and, if nothing else, the tour has been a great experience for me.

“Swanny didn’t do that badly and yet he found himself out of the team when we played on the smaller grounds out here, like Napier. That’s how cricket on tour can go sometimes.”

Though he spent no serious time out in the middle, Tredwell said he and the other England fringe players used the time and opportunity to hone their own games and, in Tredwell’s case, work on developing a new ‘mystery ball’.

He added: “There were five or six of us in the same boat, so we’d take turns doing the drink duties when England batting or bowling, then we’d do two hours on and two hours off, that way we were guaranteed good breaks and a complete session in which we could get away and practice.

“It seems a bit ironic, but considering I’m not playing games my bowling is going really well and the ball seems to be coming out of the hand really well in the nets.

“I’ve been working on a couple of specific things including a top-spinner that shoots on to the batsman. All our net sessions are videoed, it’s not particularly hi-resolution, but you can see enough to see the hand and that helps when you’re trying to develop a particular delivery.

“I’m also trying to make my wrist that a little more supple and, if I can develop this ball even further, then it might lead to one that goes away from the right-hander.

“Our slow bowling coach David Parsons is now manager of the Performance Programme out in India, so I’ve been talking and working with Peter Moores and Andy Flower.

“They were both wicketkeepers, so have a good idea about reading ‘mystery balls’ because they’ve seen their fair share from the other end and in Andy’s case he’s faced some of the top spinners in the world, so he’s great for me to chat to about developing this particular ball.”