Chris Tremlett, pictured celebrating after bowling Australia's Michael Beer to seal England's 3-1 victory in the 2010/11 Ashes, faces a difficult task to return to the national side. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Archive

Surrey and England fast bowler Chris Tremlett believes that his injury has sent him spiralling down the pecking order for the Test and one day side.

The 30-year-old picked up a back injury in January and only returned to competitive action last month.

The 6ft 7in paceman is in line to return to the Surrey’s County Championship side against Lancashire at Guildford on Wednesday and is not thinking about returning to the England side just yet.

“Eventually, that will be nice,” Tremlett told London24. “I’m not thinking that far ahead at the moment.

“It’s nice to get three or four Twenty20s under my belt.

“The next step is to play some Championship stuff and hopefully take some wickets, stay fit and go from there.”

England picked a pace trio of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan for the first two Tests against the West Indies.

But the World number one Test side rested Anderson and Broad for the final game, bringing in Steven Finn and Graham Onions for the drawn game against the West Indies, with the Middlesex man starring in the One-Day Internationals against Australia.

And Tremlett believes that he needs to overtake the pair before he can have his chance in Test cricket again.

“I think I need to bowl a few more overs and play in a few more games before I am considered,” the 30-year-old added.

“The likes of Graham Onions and Steven Finn, realistically, are ahead of me as they’ve got a lot of cricket under their belt.

“I’m not going to give up. If I can find some form, take some wickets then you never know.”

But his rivals for the England spot could come from within as team-mates Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker have been part of the One Day side’s comfortable against Australia.

Tremlett would like to see them take to the field in an England shirt, with himself alongside.

“Jade’s played a bit now for England,” he added. “He’s a very skilful one day bowler.

“Stuart Meaker has had a great start to the season.

“He’s a very skilful bowler and there’s no doubt he’ll play for England again sometime soon.

“They’re the future I guess.

“Hopefully, one day they can get picked and if I keep working hard I can find myself back in the Test side.”

While Anderson and Broad are shoe-ins for the Test side, the final spot is less secure and Tremlett, Bresnan, Finn and Onions have all grabbed their opportunities when presented with them, giving England a plethora of Test standard fast bowlers.

“Everyone, when they’ve had the opportunity, has done well,” Tremlett explained.

“When you do get an opportunity you have to grab it with both hands.

“When you do get injured you have to do all you can when you play for your county.

“It’s a case of being patient. The guys in the side are bowling well. Hopefully, if I can find my form then it’s not too far away.”