England opener Nick Knight believes he's now playing the best cricket of his life and would dearly love another shot on the Test stage.

"I feel much happier with my own game and I feel now that I'm really ready to give it – Test cricket – a crack. Unfortunately, I don't think they're looking at me, they're looking at youngsters now and that's their decision, so good luck to them," he said during an exclusive interview with cricket4.

"But as a personal thing, and as a player, I feel now that the way I'm playing and the way I'm scoring my runs that I could do well in Test cricket, although I'm not expecting to get picked to be honest."

Although Knight played the last of his 17 Tests as recently as last summer – scoring 15 and 0 against Pakistan at Lord's – it would seem that his prowess in the one-day format has rather counted against his progress as a Test player.

Together with Graham Thorpe he is undoubtedly England's best one-day batsman but his record of 2,873 runs at 42.25 compares unfavourably with his Test average of 23.97 from 30 innings.

"When I first got dropped from the England Test side – a good many years ago now – it was probably right that I should have been dropped. I had areas of my game that I needed to work on because there were technical things and it just wouldn't have taken long to bowl to me in a Test match and get me out," admitted Knight.

"So, while I was massively disappointed to get dropped I needed that time to work on my game, but I think that now I have got to a point where I'm playing better than ever. I'm scoring in better areas and I feel much more happy with my own game.

"I actually quite enjoy sometimes watching videos of my performances now, to analyse my performance, whereas before it was a little of 'Christ, was that me? Was I scoring my runs there and doing that?'"

He admits the 'one-day specialist' tag has generally proved more of a burden than a bonus but he understands how and why it originated.

"It does annoy me but at the start of my career when I first got into Test cricket I think I didn't score enough runs and you have to live with that," said Knight.

"I didn't score enough runs and it was right that I should have been dropped but the work I've done since and the way I'm playing now - and I'm still only 32 - I still feel basically that I've got a lot to offer, but I think I've had my day.

"I think the selectors are probably looking elsewhere, which I'm massively disappointed about but fairly philosophical at the same time. I'm still enjoying my cricket and still enjoying playing international cricket."

That's not to say the hunger for Test success has been sated by his one-day form and Knight still yearns for a recall.

"I still have a huge desire to be back involved playing and I still, as anyone would, put forward my case to myself and think 'I must have a chance here if I keep scoring runs'. I will never give up.

"I'll start this season in the same vein that I've started every other one. I need to score runs and take it out of the selectors' control by just getting hundreds and hundreds and hundreds, and saying you've just got to pick me," said the Warwickshire batsman.

It was a theory that worked last year in earning him the Lord's recall after a prolific early season, although Knight acknowledges his chances of Test success reduce with every passing season.

"Whilst I don't think I'm going to get picked I haven't given up and think my day has gone. I still think 'I'm going to show you boys that I can play here and I'm still there to be picked, so it's up to you to pick me'. That's the way I approach each season and that desire certainly hasn't gone for this season."

With such little domestic cricket before the Sri Lanka Test series starts Knight knows he must make an immediate impact for his recall dreams to be fulfilled. The odds are against him but he'll give it his best shot and argue his own case. And if that doesn't work he'll try again next year.

"If I could get back into the Test side it would be fantastic, but as I say I'm still enjoying my cricket whatever happens," he confirmed.

15 Apr, 2002