Pace, height and character. These are three characteristics which are helping Steven Finn return to the forefront of England’s pace attack, Geoffrey Boycott believes.

In an interview with the Watford Observer, the former England batsman was full of praise for the Watford-born fast bowler, who was once ranked as one of the best one-day bowlers in the world.

The former Yorkshire and England opener, who faced fast-bowling greats such as Michael Holding, urged Finn to keep things simple.

He emphasised an approach which the 74-year-old says would have been adopted by football legend and close friend, Brian Clough, who led Nottingham Forest to two successive European Cup triumphs.

He said: “He would have said, like me, get the ball from your end down to the other end at a pretty quick pace, around that off-stump and you will get wickets.

“He has the ability, he has a good action, he has height to get the bounce and all he needs to do now is convince himself he is good.

"You have got to have confidence and belief and that is all he has got to do now.

“The great thing for Steven is, he has had a traumatic time with people altering his approach to the crease because he used to catch his knee on the stump.”

Finn, who went to Parmiter’s School in Garston, has taken 102 Test wickets and claimed 98 scalps in One-Day Internationals.

Boycott believes the 26-year-old has shown “great character” after hitting rock-bottom and losing confidence after attempts to change his action and run-up.

'Finn’s Law' was created by the ICC after Graeme Smith was caught in the slips after the then 23-year-old knocked the stumps during his run-up at Headingley in 2012. The sport’s governing body then ruled that if a bowler knocks the stumps during a delivery, the delivery it will be called a no-ball.

Boycott explained: “Personally, I would have left him alone and let him bowl. If he bowls five or six no-balls a day, so what?” Boycott explained.

He continued: “I thought he is the best young talent around. He has got pace, he has got height, which gets you bounce, and I thought after (Stuart) Broad and (James) Anderson, he was the best prospect and they messed him about altering the way he approached the crease.

“That upset his rhythm and he struggled. He really, really struggled. He did hit rock-bottom and I think it has taken a lot of character and mental strength for the kid to get through it and I think he is through it if he takes no notice of anyone else and just bowls.”

After returning to the Test side in England’s triumphant Ashes summer, Finn took 12 wickets in the final three games.

A stunning spell on his return to Test cricket at Egbaston, which saw him claim the scalps of Steven Smith and Michael Clarke during a career-best effort of six for 79, was a huge factor in his selection for both the Test and One-day squads for the tour to face Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Finn spent months working with Middlesex bowling coach Richard Johnson and the county’s director of cricket Angus Fraser to regain top form.

The 26-year-old also worked with former Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion Christine Ohuruogu’s running coach to improve his run-up.

And Boycott believes Finn has a big winter ahead of him, particularly with a tour of South Africa, where pitches offer bounce and assistance for fast bowlers, coming up in the second half of England’s schedule.

He added: “In the UAE I’m not sure how many seamers will play. The pitches there are usually not productive for seam, but in South Africa [he will] definitely [play].”

The former England opener will be at the Watford Colosseum along with co-commentator Jonathan Agnew on Tuesday.

The pair will be discussing the current topics in cricket, as well as answering questions from an audience and recounting stories from countless tours all over the world.

Boycott added: “I have a good recollection of things that have happened, I can remember most of my innings and how I got out, who bowled me out, and whether it was a good ball.

“My wife said I have just got to go on radio and I gelled with Jonathan. We came from different backgrounds, he went to public school and I went to ordinary, we just have fun together, take the mickey out of each other, he’s always dreaming something up about me, trying to catch me out."

“I don’t know what he is going to ask.”