AFTER tasting the Ashes atmosphere at Lord's yesterday I'm more determined that ever to play a home Test for England.

All my Test appearances have been abroad but I'm hoping I'll get my chance this summer.

I have a burning ambition to play for England in this country. It would be great if it was at Headingley next month in front of a Yorkshire crowd.

It has been an up and down time for me lately. I've been bowling well this season, then was out a bit with injury. My mum died and then England came calling again.

News of my recall to the international scene was broken to me by a television reporter at Scarborough as we were warming up for our game against Leicestershire Foxes last Sunday.

I then spoke to chairman of selectors, David Graveney and he told me to report for England duty on Monday evening. I was really chuffed. It is nice to know that you are still in the selectors' thoughts.

I know all the rest of the lads in the England squad and coach Duncan Fletcher. I toured South Africa 18 months ago with him.

I bowled well in the nets and knew we were probably going to go into the game with four seamers, so it was always going to be between me and Dominic Cork for that last bowling place.

I was disappointed not to get picked as I have been in good form, but to be honest I was not surprised that Corkie got the nod. He has a good record at Lord's.

Even though I'm 12th man, I and other members of the squad who didn't make the team are fully involved. That's nice as you feel as though you fit in. I think that has not always been the case with England. Now all the squad feel they have a part to play.

The atmosphere in the middle at Lord's was fantastic when we were out there as the ground was filling up. I thought: "This is it. I want some more of this."

It has made me even more determined to play a home Test. Athers lost the toss and the Aussies put us in. We'd have done the same.

Batting was very difficult. The light was poor and the conditions were not really suited for batting.

Ramps got out to a peach of a delivery from Brett Lee while 'Athers' was a bit unlucky with one that jagged back on him. Skyscope proved that it probably would have gone over the stumps but that is something we have to accept these days.

I'm sharing 12th man duties with my Yorkshire colleague Matthew Wood. He does all the running around - drinks, equipment, that kind of stuff, while

I'm on standby fielding duty.

One bonus yesterday was meeting the Queen. I have met the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry before, but this was the first time I have met the Queen.

Although she did not speak to me directly, she seemed very chatty and genuinely interested in the game.

I'm staying with the rest of the team at a hotel in St John's Wood just down the road from Lord's.

We get a room each these days thanks to Lord MacLaurin who ended the days of room-sharing when he took over at the head of the English game.

It's much better because it gives you a bit more privacy when you want it.

I find Test matches much more draining than county games and on tour I was often so wacked I was in bed by 9pm.

It's back up to Yorkshire tonight and reporting to Headingley tomorrow to prepare for our Norwich Union day-night game with Warwickshire Bears on Monday. It is a game we need to win as we are not doing too well in that league.

By then England will hopefully have done the Aussies. I think that if we believe in ourselves we can beat them. They lost to India recently and we are better than India. Self-belief is the key.