Middlesex’s Helm ‘best young bowler I’ve seen’ – Finn

England paceman Steven Finn has backed Middlesex colleague Tom Helm to go right to the top of the game, calling him the “most talented young bowler” he has ever seen.

Helm, 21, has played just three County Championship and three One-Day Cup matches for Middlesex since his debut in 2013.

He is having to bide his time while Finn, James Harris, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones lead the county’s attack, which has been further bolstered in the winter by the arrival of James Fuller from Gloucestershire.

But Finn believes Helm – who missed almost the whole of last season with a back injury – has all the attributes to succeed at Lord’s.

He said: “Tom Helm, in my opinion, is the most talented young bowler I’ve ever seen.

“He’s got a lot of learning to do. But you watch him bowl and it’s beautiful, easy, quick and swinging both ways.

“If he can stay injury free he’ll have a big future for Middlesex and hopefully higher than that.”

Finn himself has declared himself fit for Middlesex’s County Championship opener against Warwickshire, which starts on Sunday.

He was ruled out of England’s World T20 campaign with a calf strain but revealed he would have been fit by the time the tournament started.

Finn added: “It was quite frustrating as the decision was made quickly.

“I ended up going on Middlesex’s pre-season tour before the guys left for India and was bowling flat out on our second or third day there. I’d have been fit.”