Ferocious Suffolk paceman Tymal Mills hopes to bowl his way into England contention this summer, by becoming a potent weapon in the Essex attack.

Among the fastest bowlers in the world, the 21-year-old has already caught the eye at international level and spent time in Australia last winter, as a net bowler, during England’s recent ill-fated Ashes campaign.

Former Mildenhall bowler Mills clocked a top speed of 94mph in County Cricket last term, but he has yet to become a regular at Chelmsford under Paul Grayson.

The left-arm quick has acknowledged the need to add consistency to his game, despite Michael Vaughan’s calls for him to be included in the England team during the 5-0 humbling Down Under, and insists it is time to start becoming a regular wicket-taker.

“I have had a really good winter so far and managed some really big improvements in both my cricket and in terms of my lifestyle, fitness and development,” said Mills, whose team will benefit from the availability of England skipper Alastair Cook for the opening matches of the season.

“I have worked a lot on my consistency, and the way I bowl, so I can build a bit more pressure on the batsmen and cut out the amount of bad balls I might have bowled in the past.

“I’ve not taken as many wickets as I should have done and this year I want to shake off the tag where people say I have got a lot of potential. It’s time to start fulfilling that now.

“I know the best is still yet to come from me and I am confident that will start this season.

“My time with England was a great experience and I am glad I did it. As a player, you hope to impress, but I am not looking that far forward.”

More immediate in Mills’ thoughts is the season-opener at home to Derbyshire in Division Two of the LV= County Championship on April 13.

“That’s as far ahead as I am looking,” said Mills, who will also get the chance to impress in the two-day friendly with Kent, at Chelmsford, which begins tomorrow.

“As a team we dropped just short in all three forms of the game last season, finishing second in our 40-over group, reaching the t20 Finals Day and finishing third in the County Championship. You can’t be too disappointed about that but we want to push on in one of those.”

Part of an exciting-looking attack which includes 2011’s leading domestic wicket-taker, David Masters, the county’s leading wicket-taker in all forms of the game last season, Ipswich’s Reece Topley, and England spinner Monty Panesar, Mills added: “We back ourselves to bowl teams out.”