When Michael Vaughan's side reclaimed the famous urn at the Oval last year Mahmood was playing for Lancashire's second XI in Liverpool. Now the promising paceman finds himself part of the bowling attack as the team aims to defend the Ashes Down Under.

"I was playing second-team cricket back then (when the Ashes was won) so my aim for the season just gone was to establish myself in the first team for Lancashire," he said. "So to play five Test matches for England and 10 or so one-dayers made me think, 'what's going on?'"

He continued: "My form's been a little bit up and down but I've been working a lot with the coaches, especially when I've had time off and been back with my county.

"I've improved quite a bit so I'm pretty happy with how things have gone this year."

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd 2006, All Rights Reserved.