Ashes 2013-14: England disappointment at series loss reflects frustration for bowler Steven Finn as he is yet to feature Down Under

Both Finn and Boyd Rankin are yet to be used in the bowling attack and Finn admits that it has been frustrating watching the side surrender the Ashes from the sidelines

Steven Finn is yet to play in the 2013-14 Ashes and has had to watch England lose the urn from the sidelines

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England's disappointment and frustration is obvious at losing the Ashes so emphatically - and no one feels it more than Steven Finn.

Others failed to provide Australia with the keen competition most predicted in this winter's series, the urn regained with an unassailable 3-0 lead already.

Finn, however, has not even been able to get into the Test team.

Relegated therefore to Ashes bystander status, as he was too for much of last summer, the 24-year-old fast bowler has had to sit and watch while those picked ahead of him have collectively fallen short.

England arrived in Australia with three of the country's tallest seam bowlers all pushing for one place, to support new-ball pair Stuart Broad and James Anderson.

Yet only Chris Tremlett has managed to force his way in even for one Test, the opening defeat in Brisbane, England then turning to an extra spinner in Adelaide and the fit-again Tim Bresnan in Perth.

There was no change in the outcome, a wide-margin runs defeat England's lot each time - and with Broad yet to demonstrate his recovery from the foot injury he suffered at the WACA, there may yet be another change for the Boxing Day Test.

Sadly for Finn, once pencilled in as England's regular third seamer, he no longer appears to be at the head of the queue as he struggles to find anything like his best form.

"It's been very frustrating," he said. "It's quite obvious that the bowling hasn't quite gone as I would have liked it to.

"I've been working as hard as I possibly can and bowling as many overs as I possibly can in practice in the nets, trying to get it right.

"But it hasn't happened yet."

Finn has not featured for England in Tests since he appeared to be the weak link as they eked out the narrow victory at Trent Bridge which set them on the way last summer to their 3-0 win over Australia at home.

He has spent much of his time since trying to work through difficulties in the nets, having made several changes to his method since eradicating a habit the previous year of knocking over the non-striker's stumps in his delivery stride.

"I feel I'm moving in the right direction and I feel I'm getting there," he said.

"But it hasn't been right up to this point, and that's why I haven't played."

Instead, he has been powerless to help as his England team-mates took the fast track to series defeat here.

"I think everyone is disappointed and gutted we've failed to retain the Ashes," said Finn.

"That's what we wanted to do when we came here.

"Everyone wanted to do that, but it hasn't happened for us."

All he and England can do now is try to put their disappointments behind them, and focus on the chance to hit back in the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

"We've had a few days to clear the air and clear ourselves of as much baggage as we can - and we go into these next two Tests trying to win them and make it 3-2 in the series," he said.

"We're playing at two of the best stadiums in the world.

"There will be 100,000 at the MCG on Boxing Day, and then the SCG is one of the most historic grounds in the world.

"I don't think it should be too hard for people to motivate themselves.

"These are still Ashes Tests, too. The series has gone, but there's a lot of pride at stake."

Steven Finn was test-driving the Jaguar F-Type. For more information, visit jaguar.com.

PA