DORSET’S Tom Barber believes he has something special when it comes to bowling express pace – and he is hoping to get even quicker this winter.

The talented left-armer was clocked at a rapid 91 miles per hour during his first season at Middlesex, as he went from strength to strength with the former county champions.

After initially earning a deal at Lord’s until the end of the summer, the 22-year-old was rewarded with a fresh two-year contract earlier this month.

With that stability secured, the former Parley youngster has also been selected to take part in England’s Winter Pace Programme.

Barber will join the likes of county stars Reece Topley and Jamie Overton as one of five quicks selected by the national set-up to work at their performance centre in Loughborough.

He will also jet to warm weather training camps in southern Spain and South Africa.

And the former Bournemouth Grammar School pupil expressed his desire to make the most of an opportunity he is eager to embrace.

He told the Daily Echo: “To go on an England programme is massive. You never know what could come about if I do really well this winter.

“The pace programme is something I have looked at and wanted to go on for the past few years.

“It’s only natural as a fast bowler to want to be as fast as you can, I think.

“Pace is such a big factor, especially at 90 miles per hour.

“There are not many bowlers who bowl 90 miles per hour, left-arm, in the county circuit. It’s a valuable asset in any sort of cricket.

“I always knew I had the potential to get to where I am now. I just needed coaches to believe in me, put faith in me and get a lot of that hard work done.

“To reach the speeds I got up to was pretty pleasing because a lot of the stuff I had done was not only to help accuracy and swing. It was also for me to get a bit quicker as well.

“That is the plan for the winter, to see where I can really get to.”

Barber added: “To play Test cricket for England is the pinnacle.

“Hopefully, being on the pace programme is a stepping stone towards that. There is a lot of hard work to be done but I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Barber bowled a number of hostile spells for Bashley in the Southern Premier League last summer, being described as “nasty” by skipper Michael Porter after he claimed four for 33 against Andover.

Asked what he would like a batsman to be thinking when he charges in, the former England under-19 international replied: “I want to be as aggressive as possible towards a batsman.

“I want them to know that I can hit them on the head as well.

“A bouncer is such a big weapon, you don’t even have to bowl it.

“As long as a batsman knows you can do that, I think they will always try and hang on the back foot. The intimidation factor and the fear factor should always be there I think.”

Barber got the opportunity to step out at Lord’s against his former county, Hampshire, in a T20 contest back in August – in which he dismissed South African international Rilee Rossouw.

And he insists rubbing shoulders with some star names of the game has also aided his development.

“I enjoyed it so much last season,” he added.

“The players have been pretty welcoming of me, the facilities at Lord’s are top drawer.

“Being involved in the T20 competition with the squad and playing a few games has all been a great experience.

“When you have Dan Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Tim Southee coming in, as well as Steve Finn and Eoin Morgan – to talk to people like that has just been a great experience.

“Hopefully I can push on in the next couple of years.”