Woakes proving to be sound investment

This time last year, Chris Woakes was preparing for a spell in the Big Bash League with Sydney Thunder. England had just announced their ODI and T20 squads to play Australia and Woakes' name was not included. Having made his Test debut a few months earlier at The Oval, he had been overtaken by Ben Stokes when it came to selection for the return Ashes series Down Under.

On the surface, Woakes is sort of player you might easily forget: right-arm seam, useful batsman, equable temper, respectable haircut. He has made sure England did not make that mistake. Recalled during the Test series against India, he bowled admirably without much luck until collecting 4 for 54 back at The Oval. He then filled the injured Stuart Broad's boots in the subsequent ODIs, his first in over a year.

On Wednesday, he claimed a six-wicket haul for the second time in his career. No Englishman had done that before, only eight have overall. No wonder Woakes calls the achievement "quite surreal".

Woakes seems certain to get his ticket to Australia this time. England play there in a tri-series in January ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and Woakes is the form quick. In the absence of Broad and James Anderson, who is also undergoing rehabilitation for a knee problem, Woakes has taken one of the new balls in Sri Lanka and is currently the leading wicket-taker on either side. Nevertheless, the squad announcement will be an anxious moment.

"It's always at the back of your mind," he said. "With Jimmy and Broady not being here it has given some of the guys, particularly myself, the opportunity to put our hand up and show the management and coaches what we can do. It's been good because I have been bowling in some tough conditions and the times I have bowled has been good experience, good exposure and the more you play at international level the better you get. Everyone wants to be in that World Cup squad, but I am just trying to concentrate on my game and get that right."

As well as opening the bowling alongside Steven Finn, Woakes has emerged as a death-bowling option following some impressive T20 performances last season - notably in the final of the NatWest Blast and the one-off T20 against India. He picked up five wickets in the last five overs of Sri Lanka's innings in Pallekele and seems happy with being asked to "turn up at the end and get your swag-bag out".

Woakes' 6 for 47 - only his second-best figures, having taken 6 for 45 in his second ODI back in 2011 - helped dismiss Sri Lanka for 239 and set up a five-wicket victory in the fifth match of the series. England could draw level at 3-3 if they can win again at the same venue on Saturday and Woakes will again be expected to play a key role.

"I feel things are going pretty well at the moment, the ball is coming out reasonably well and I feel in good rhythm, so hopefully we can finish this series really well," he said. "It's a pressure game tomorrow, having to stay in the series to win."

Woakes is a genuine allrounder, with eight first-class hundreds, and he admits he would "have liked to score more runs", having managed 7, 15 and 6 in England's three Colombo defeats. He has not had much competition from Stokes and Chris Jordan in that regard, however, and looks to be the leading candidate to bat at No. 8 over the coming months of concentrated one-day cricket.

England didn't forget about Woakes because he wouldn't let them. He has worked hard at generating extra pace, first with Graeme Welch at Warwickshire and the ECB fast-bowling coach Kevin Shine, then with David Saker. He has more variations in white-ball cricket and has taken on increased responsibility. In turn, when his bowling average was 129.50 for two wickets from three Tests, England stuck by him. They are now reaping the reward.

"Once I got in to that Test side I managed to stay in for the three wins against India. I feel it was maybe a bit of a turning point," he said. "The more you play, the more you feel at home in international cricket. It's the same in the dressing-room - the more you are here and around the guys and the more involved you are, the more you become part of that team. I think we've got a great team spirit at the minute. The dressing room is a good place to be."