England pace bowler Simon Jones, coming off a near six-month injury lay-off, has said his ankle felt fine at the end of the visiting team's three-day practice game against the Cricket Club of India XI in Mumbai.
Jones, one of the architects of England's Ashes triumph over Australia last northern summer, injured his ankle before the end of the series last September and also missed the subsequent tour of Pakistan.
"I am feeling good. I took a little bit easier on Sunday. I am better. I bowled off my long run-up and am happy with the way things went. I bowled again after the game in the nets and the ankle is feeling good," he told reporters after the match on Monday.
Jones took 2 for 9 in the CCI team's second innings tally of 75. He along with the other team members left for Vadodara.
Jones, who had a short stint under pace guru Dennis Lillee at the MRF pace foundation in Chennai last month, said because of the huge temperature difference between England and here it was always good to spend more time on the field to get adjusted to the hot conditions in India.
"It's minus two back home and it's like 35 over here. It's a big difference and the sooner you gauge the better," he said.
"It's hot and going to get hotter. It's your summer. The more time we spend on the field, the better for us," he said.
Jones said he knew the bowlers have to really work hard to get wickets in Indian conditions, especially against what he called 'the best batting line-up in the world' which he experienced as a member of the 'A' team to India in 2004.
"It was a tough tour. I have never been to India before that. The turning wicket in Chennai was not encouraging for fast bowlers. We went to Delhi and other places where the wickets were slow," he said.
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The 27-year-old Welshman, who took 18 of his 59 Test wickets in the last Ashes series against Australia after making his debut at Lord's against India in 2002, said he was happy coming in to bowl after the new ball had been shared by Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison.
"To be fair Hoggy and Harmy have done a very good job in the last few years. I don't see a reason to change that. I just come on first or second change. It had worked well for us in the Ashes," he said.
"It (not opening the bowling) doesn't bother me. I like bowling with the new ball, like bowling with the old ball too. I'll do what the skipper (Michael Vaughan) tells me," he said.
Jones, who used reverse swing to unsettle the high-flying Australian batsmen, said he expected it to happen in Tests as they are played over five days.
"It (the ball) might reverse as it (Test) is for five days. Obviously with more batting and bowling on the wicket, reverse swing might come into the game," he said.
