KENT’S England A off-spinner James Tredwell is determined to take the step up to full international cricket despite a niggling knee injury and being overlooked for England’s squad to travel to Sri Lanka this winter.

Although Tredwell was an integral member of Kent’s successful Twenty20 Cup campaign, England’s selectors have opted to take Nottinghamshire’s Graeme Swann on tour instead.

Battling on despite a swollen right knee in Kent’s vital game against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl and playing in front of watching England selector Geoff Miller, Tredwell said: “I’m giving it my best no matter what game we’re playing, who it’s against or who may be watching.

“I had this knee washed out in 2003. They said then there were four pieces of floating bone but could only get to three of them. I’m thinking this is the fourth piece giving me trouble now.

“I’ll get through the season and then have it flushed out again, after that it’s just a case of waiting to see what England might have planned for me.”

Kent’s director of cricket Graham Ford said: “It was a surprise to me because we all thought Tredders would be in the frame.

“We all rate him highly here and he has done well all season but the ECB may be looking at the long-term and may not want him coming through too soon.

“You don’t want, particularly so with a spinner, to rush them throughand have them in the Test side too early, as happened with Alex Loudon.

“I’d like to think the England management are aware of what Tredders is doing and have a programme in place.”