WHAT a roller-coaster week.

It began with a great display in which we demolished Warwickshire in the Norwich Union League day-night match at Headingley, but two days later we lost to the same opponents in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy quarter-finals.

It was doubly disappointing for me as I missed the Trophy defeat with a back muscle injury.

I'm due to have a fitness test in the nets at Headingley ahead of today's Roses Championship game and, fingers crossed, I'll be ok.

It is important for me personally as I am desperate to keep my place in the England squad for the Third Test.

The selectors are meeting this weekend and with us already 2-0 down to Australia there has been a lot of talk about bringing in new faces and I'm keen to be one of them.

I didn't do my chances any harm under lights on Monday as I bowled really well.

Matthew Wood batted superbly for his 68 and we were able to bat around him and post a good total.

We soon sensed that something special was going to happen when we bowled and I was on a hat-trick in the first over.

We eventually rolled the Warwickshire boys for 59.

Unfortunately the shine was taken off the display by my back problem.

I felt a twinge in the fifth over in the left side of my back when I was following through.

It was not worth risking me on Wednesday when we played poorly and Warwickshire got their revenge.

Apart from Maggs' (Anthony McGrath) 82 we lost the plot with the bat. The last six wickets went for 15 runs in 25 balls.

Darren Gough bowled well in the face of a modest target. He swung the ball a lot but could not get a snick and so Ryan (Sidebottom) proved to be the pick of our bowlers.

Steve Kirby sent down too many half-volleys and was driven and cost a lot of runs. It was the first time he has not played well since coming into the side and I think he was suffering from a few nerves.

One of the England selectors, Geoff Miller, was at the game to check out myself, Goughie and Craig White.

He was disappointed to find out about my back injury and panicked a bit, but hopefully if I get the all clear for the Lancashire game I'll keep my place in the England squad.

If I do play in the Roses game I've got to bowl really well and make it impossible for the selectors not to pick me.

It is going to be tough because I have a feeling that Surrey's Alex Tudor will now come into the equation.

The championship will be decided in the next few weeks as we play both Lancashire and Surrey twice, home and away.

After Wednesday it is vital that we get back to basics and iron out our weaknesses.

Generally we have bounced back well after a defeat but most of our losses this season have been self-inflicted. Somerset have been the only side to give us the run around. The other defeats have all been down to us playing badly rather than the opposition doing well.

Updated: 14:46 Friday, July 27, 2001