EX-WOODCHOPPING champion Peter Siddle is aiming to get Lancashire’s LV= County Championship Division Two campaign off to a flyer before leaving them to cut England down to size this summer.

Australian fast bowler Siddle made an encouraging start to his four-match spell as the Red Rose’s overseas player with three wickets and 46 runs in their 250-run win over Derbyshire earlier this week.

Siddle had originally been signed to play in the first 12 Championship matches as he seemed a long way off Test selection for forthcoming tours to the Caribbean and England.

The 30-year-old played the last of his 56 Tests in December having fallen down the pecking order behind bowlers such as Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

But a good end to Victoria’s successful Sheffield Shield campaign and a few injuries to rivals opened the door for a man who spent his youth with a tomahawk in his hand as well as a cricket ball.

“Woodchopping is a big thing in Australia, and I did it for about a year when I was 10 and 11,” said the former West Gippsland junior champion.

“There’s not too much to it, but it’s something that gets talked about. There’s no chance of me getting out and doing it anymore.

“I stopped doing it as a young kid because I was worried I was going to cut off a toe! That wouldn’t have helped my sporting career. I chose the right thing in the end.”

It is no secret that Siddle, who also swears by a vegan diet, has bigger fish to fry this summer with two Test tours on the horizon, including Australia’s defence of the Ashes.

But that does not mean he will take it easy for the next few weeks in a Lancashire shirt.

“At the end of the season back home, I just had to take wickets (to get back into the Australia squad), and that’s what I did. It was nice to get that call-up,” he added.

“It’s disappointing for my stint at Lancashire, but personally it’s a good result.

“I’m looking forward to that and hopefully in the next three games I can help get some good results which push the boys forward into a good position for when I leave.”

Siddle makes his home debut at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday when Lancashire host Kent.