“I will definitely be fit for the first game of the cricket World Cup.”

That was the message from Yorkshire’s Ashes-winning hero, Tim Bresnan, as he last night ended speculation that he might not make the tournament on the Indian sub-continent.

The 25-year-old is back in the UK after tearing a calf muscle during the second one-day international against Australia last week.

However, the Tykes ace insists he will be ready for his country’s first game of the upcoming competiton, which takes place on February 22 against the Netherlands.

“I do not think the first game will be an issue,” added Bresnan.

“We will probably know more in the next couple of weeks, but hopefully I am not too far away. It is only the warm-up games that could be a problem.”

The Yorkshire all-rounder made his comments after returning home for the first time since playing a key role in England’s Ashes success last month – their first down under for 24 years.

Bresnan came into the side with the scores level at 1-1 – before excelling in the final two Tests to help to secure the famous 3-1 series win.

In Melbourne, he took the winning wicket to help England retain the urn, while in the final Test in Sydney he impressed once more as the series was wrapped up.

He added: “It feels unbelievable to be back.

“To have everybody on the phone congratulating me was a little bit of a wake-up call when I returned. I am starting to realise what we achieved and what it meant to the country.

“My aim now is to become a regular for England in all forms of the game. I feel as though I have cemented my place in one-day cricket and in Twenty20 cricket. Test cricket is where it is at, though, and that is where I want to be.”

Bresnan admits there is little time to bask in his Ashes glory, though.

Having also won the World Twenty20 title last May with England, he insists there is no reason why he cannot be a double winner on the international stage by the end of the winter – even though England have not won the World Cup since it was launched in 1975.

“It is going to be a tough challenge out there in India, but I think if we play our best cricket then we can come back as winners,” he said.

“That would top off a momentous year for us in all forms of the game.”

If Bresnan can be part of another England success then one person in particular is likely to be more pleased than most. The England star also confirmed his family missed the winning moment in Australia.

“My parents were out there but my mum messed the flights up,” quipped Bresnan.

“They did not see the final day of the Ashes as they were already in Singapore. They are kind of gutted about that but I did tell her what happened.”

%eplayer(11)