WELL its three weeks since I’ve played now, but I can tell you it feels a whole lot longer.

I took two for 11 against Hampshire in my last appearance but only got through seven overs in that totesport League match and knew then I had to rest my right knee.

I’d tried coming back ahead of schedule, but I need to give the joint more time because the patella tendon is a little more inflamed than we thought.

Because there’s not a great degree of blood flow to that area of the body then these sorts of injuries take longer to settle down and to heal.

The treatment has been quite varied really, but it is starting to get a bit boring by now. We started off icing the knee, then it was ultrasound and now its manipulation and massage.

Added to that I’m doing a lot of fitness work to strengthen the quad muscles around the knee and prevent the injury from flaring up in future. It’s all non-impact work and I’m down the gym every day, cycling a lot and swimming plenty of lengths, all work that helps without jarring the knee.

This injury has nothing to do with last year’s injury on the same knee, but that doesn’t stop people worrying and I’ve lost count of the number of people who ask how I’m getting on.

The message is, I want to be back as soon as possible, but the supporters must bear in mind that it’s frustrating for me too, especially I don’t like to see the side losing. Knowing I should be out there taking wickets makes things worse for me.

We can’t put a date on my comeback just yet, but I’m hopeful I will play the last two, possibly three championship games. That gives me another two or three weeks rest now and six weeks in total.

It’s certainly more frustrating than my injury last year, but I’ve set myself the target of trying to get on the England tour of South Africa this winter and want to give myself the best chance of achieving it.

In the meantime, I’ll help the team when I can by watching the home games and perhaps giving some of the younger lads a few tips on their bowling.

As for the away games, I’ll be following those by Teletext and kentonline website and hoping the boys do well in Birmingham.