THIS season was supposed to be the year Essex all-rounder Graham Napier reinforced opinion of his talents.

But it has not worked out for the Colchester-based star just yet. Early last summer he was in England’s Twenty20 World Cup squad.

Fast forward a year and England were lifting the trophy — but Napier was not there.

Instead he was going through a familiar pattern of returning from an injury which has disrupted his start to Essex’s return to domestic top-flight cricket.

“I don’t know the technical name but I had a bit of bursitis in one of the tendons in the shoulder and also a problem with the shoulder capsule which required a hydration injection, which is basically like putting a balloon inside your shoulder and blowing it up to give it more movement,” he said.

“It was not the most comfortable thing I have ever had done but hopefully it has freed up some movement and I will be able to bowl, bat and field with no problems from now on.

“I bowled on Monday for the second team and all seems to be OK so fingers crossed the second injection has worked and I will be fine to play for the rest of the season.”

Having kept his name in the headlines during the winter by briefly becoming the world’s top Twenty20 wicket-taker, he was a surprise omission from England’s World Cup squad.

And because of the injured shoulder, he has not been able to make much a case for inclusion later in the summer for what would be an international debut.

“I have not played much cricket — just two four-day games in which I was not very successful in terms of taking wickets,” he said. “Batting wise I have had a couple of chances to get in but have not taken those opportunities so it has been a slow start.

“My form with the ball one-day wise has been consistent in my line and length and I have taken some wickets so it is just waiting for a big performance which I am sure is just around the corner.

“I always have high expectations and when you are playing with injuries or coming back from injury it is difficult to find form and find the confidence in yourself and your body to hit form.”