Willey has chance to deliver in a variety of formats

Willey is in line to play his seventh one-day international – and his first outside the British Isles – when the four-match series against Pakistan starts in Abu Dhabi tomorrow.

The pace bowling all-rounder – who admits he also faces a battle to nail down a place in Yorkshire’s Championship XI – starred with the ball in England’s solitary one-day warm-up match against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The 25-year-old captured 4-43 from 10 overs as England romped to a comfortable win.

But Willey, who will significantly boost Yorkshire’s one-day prospects, is taking nothing for granted as he strives to build on a solid start to his international career.

“I would like to make myself a permanent fixture in England’s one-day side,” said Willey, who has taken 12 ODI wickets at an average of 24, with best figures of 3-51 against Australia at Headingley in September.

“I am just hoping to put in performances when I get my opportunities and to work hard in practice.

“It is my first England tour, so it is great to be here and experience England on tour.

“I’m just enjoying being involved.”

Willey, who admitted that he felt “undercooked” against Hong Kong having had little cricket lately, does not seem the sort to rest on his laurels.

He is in the midst of a hectic – but also intriguing – schedule in which he is savouring the chance to expand his horizons.

After the UAE trip, Willey heads to Australia next month to play for Big Bash franchise Perth Scorchers in a move fully endorsed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and England’s director of cricket Andrew Strauss.

The ECB appear keen for their players to pit their skills against the world’s best in different competitions in a tacit admission that they need to keep up with the Jones’s in limited-overs cricket.

“I approached England with it as an option, and they supported me on that,” said Willey, who had initially been prescribed an extended stay in the desert with the England Lions either side of Christmas.

“I’m pleased I’m going to Australia – the Big Bash is one of the best competitions in the world – and to be a part of that will be a great learning experience.

“The Perth Scorchers have won the Big Bash the last two years, so they’re looking to go three on the bounce.

“To be part of a team like that brings a whole new set of challenges and pressures for me, and I hope I can contribute well.”

Another team looking to go three on the bounce are Yorkshire after successive County Championship titles.

Willey knows he will have to work hard for his four-day opportunities and views his move north as another potentially invaluable learning curve.

“Yorkshire are a very successful club and playing with the best players in the country day-in, day-out is only going to help me improve,” he said. “With no guarantee of a place in the side, it’s going to push me to develop my own game and I hope that brings out the best in me.”

It has been a whirlwind period for Willey, who has moved to Headingley from Northamptonshire.

He is not a little relieved to be back playing again after the logistical challenge of upping sticks.

“It’s been chaos,” he reflected. “I’ve been in the process of moving up north and it’s been a busy couple of months.

“It’s just nice to get back into the cricket and to concentrate on that again.

“The more environments and players you can expose yourself to just creates so many opportunities to learn, and the more you do that, you can only get better as a player.”

Willey knows he must adapt his methods in the UAE, where conditions will not be as bowler-friendly as they are in England.

He takes confidence from his performance against Hong Kong.

“It’s probably not going to swing much up front, so we’ll be looking to get the ball to ‘reverse’ as early as possible,” he acknowledged.

“I thought the England seamers did very well in the Test series, and if the guys who’ve just come out here can learn to bowl in these conditions that will set us up well.

“I was saying before the Hong Kong game that I felt a bit undercooked, so I was wanting to find some rhythm out there.

“Taking a few poles is always good for confidence.”