ENGLAND bowler Simon Jones is looking to put a winter of disappointment behind him and hit the ground running with Glamorgan this month in order to re-establish himself as England's king of swing.

Glamorgan get their 2006 campaign underway today with a three-day friendly against Cardiff UCCE at Sophia Gardens before travelling to Cheltenham on Sunday to face Essex in the C&G Trophy, their first competitive clash of the season.

Jones missed the entire England winter programme in India and Pakistan after suffering an ankle injury in the fourth Test against Australia, before twisting his left knee ahead of the first Test in India, forcing him to have surgery.

The master of reverse swing also missed more that a year of cricket in 2002 after damaging his right knee in the first day of play in the Ashes that year and admits he has had a frustrating few months.

But with his injuries now hopefully behind him, Jones, who took 18 wickets at an average of 21 during England's victorious Ashes series, is looking to get back into Test contention in time for the first Test against Sri Lanka on May 11.

"It has been a very frustrating winter, but now I am ready to get back into things and ease my way back into form.

"I feel like I need to prove myself again. This winter has been a big kick in the teeth, I worked hard to get back from the ankle injury and then hurt my knee.

"Ideally, I am looking to play in every Test this summer and I want to go to Australia for the Ashes this winter as fit as possible and to prove to people that I do not have a problem with my fitness.

"The best way for me to start doing that is by playing as much as I can for Glamorgan and hopefully we can have a much better season than last year.

"I have been in the gym everyday recently and I am close to 100 per cent, but I haven't really let rip yet with my bowling because I don't want to do too much too soon.

"But I feel really good and am raring to go, I want to get plenty of overs under my belt in the coming weeks."

Jones' frustrating winter was offset by the news that he was named as one of the five Wisden cricketers of the year.

"It was a great feeling, to be included alongside some of the legends of the game who have also been named before me is an unbelievable honour," he said.

- Mark Cosgrove, Glamorgan's new overseas batsman, will miss the start of the season after receiving a call-up to Australia's one-day squad.