MATT Parkinson hopes to press his claim for an England Test spot after impressing during the tourists’ first taste of Sri Lankan conditions.

Bolton’s Lancashire leg spinner took 4-68 in the drawn warm-up match against an SLC Board XI.

Parkinson debuted in both limited-over formats over the winter, playing two one-day internationals in South Africa and two Twenty20s in New Zealand, but struggled in his early outings with the red ball.

But Parkinson is just 23, young for a spinner forged in English conditions, and has just 20 first-class appearances to his name.

Jack Leach and Dom Bess remain ahead in the pecking order but Parkinson is certainly in the mix.

“There haven’t been many days yet in a white shirt but to get four wickets after the way the warm-up games went for me in New Zealand and South Africa was very pleasing,” he said.

“I hope I’m becoming a better bowler and I can use what I’ve learnt. I was in South Africa for two months and a bit, so you’d be wrong not to try to get the most out of the trip. Hopefully I’ve done that.”

Parkinson admitted to a mild case of stagefright when he was first elevated to the touring ranks, but is already feeling more comfortable.

“Having not played much red-ball cricket I needed to prove I can take wickets and almost get over the nerves of bowling with these lads,” he said.

“There were more nerves in the other two tours. I’m still very raw with the red-ball and I think people sometimes forget that spinners develop later. Being picked on three Test tours, the expectations are raised, but I’ve still only played 20 first-class games so I’m still very new to red-ball cricket really.”