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Sidebottom reveals England team aim

Pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom has revealed that he is looking to secure a regular place in England's Test side on a long-term basis.

The 29-year-old Nottinghamshire man was handed a first Test call-up in six years by coach Peter Moores for the recent second Test against the West Indies at Headingley and he did not disappoint with figures of 8-86. And, with the man he replaced in Yorkshire, Matthew Hoggard, still ruled out for this week's third Test at Old Trafford with a thigh problem, Sidebottom will get another chance to cement his place in the side.

Sidebottom, who is the 2.72 joint favourite with spinner Monty Panesar on Betfair's Test Series Top England Wicket Taker market, said: "There are other guys ahead of me in the pecking order but if I keep taking wickets, hopefully I'll keep getting selected.

"I am not going to get carried away, it's only one game and the ball swung. I am not looking too far ahead - I want to perform again, I want to be a regular."

He added: "Six years is a very long time but you never give up hope of playing. I just worked hard every day in county cricket and got the ball to swing.

"I am never going to be 90mph but I can do other things, as I proved last week. Trying to swing and seam it is something I can bring to the game.

"There are other bowlers around the world - people like Chaminda Vaas - who I look up to. He's a left-armer who bowls in the mid-70s, who swings the ball around and does different things.

"He's proved that there are other bowlers in Test cricket, not just ones with express pace. It is also about swing, working out batsmen, how they play, and bowling at their weaknesses."

England are the overwhelming 1.75 favourites on Betfair's Match Odds market to claim a win in Manchester in the third Test, with the struggling West Indies (17.5) not fancied. The draw is available at 3.45.

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