Steve Finn hopes the best spell of his career can help inspire Middlesex to promotion to the County Championship this season.

The talented fast bowler posted his finest individual figures last week as he claimed five wickets in an innings and eight overall in their draw at Essex.

It took the 20-year-old to the top of the club's wicket taking charts with 16 in Division Two and he hopes his form can help the side reach their target this year.

Finn said: "I'm just really enjoying my cricket at the moment. It's a highlight but it's something that I want to keep on breaking. This was my reward for the hard work I put in over the winter, it's just nice when it bears fruit.

"I've been bowling a lot better than last year and I'm pleased that it's been working well.

"It's nice to get eight wickets and feel confident about my game. I can't expect to get eight wickets every time but all I can do is keep working hard and putting the ball in the right area.

"We are really focused on getting promotion to the Championship and we still think we can win our last five Twenty20 games."

Middlesex have had a mixed campaign so far with a disappointing defence of their Twenty20 Cup with five consecutive defeats. Finn's team are still searching for their first league win but are unbeaten after four draws and the youngster is convinced a win is just around the corner.

He said: "It's really important we've got 12 games left and we have to focus on them.

"In our first four games we've been in a position to win at least three of them and if we keep doing that then we will get accustomed to winning. That's very positive from our point of view."

Middlesex can get off the mark when they visit league leaders Gloucestershire today [Thursday] and Finn hopes their previous form in Bristol continues.

Finn added: "We try and win every game we are involved in. We just need to make sure we don't get impatient but we have done pretty well down at Bristol in the last few years."