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Harmison makes a return

Ted Corbett

LONDON: Steve Harmison, apparently sent away without hope of parole after one Test in New Zealand last winter, returns to the England squad for the third Test against South Africa at Edgbaston on Wednesday. Not only is he back but he has been give a ringing endorsement from Geoff Miller, the national selector, who wants him to ruffle up the batsmen.

Of course, Harmison should have played in the second Test which England lost by ten wickets after it chose Darren Pattinson who had at the age of 30 played in only 11 first class games and whose lack of experience was exposed.

Pattinson is predictably dropped for the third Test but Ryan Sidebottom, whose late call-off set in train the events which led to Pattinson being chose, is fit and plays.

Miller said, “Harmison has been bowling well for Durham all summer and deserves his place.

It will be up to the captain Michael Vaughan and Peter Moores, the coach, to make the final selection on the morning of the match and whether Harmison plays will depend on the conditions.”

Thus in a single sentence Miller made it clear that the inclusion of Pattinson was ultimately down to Moores and Vaughan and that the chances are Harmison will play in the Test England has to win if it is to maintain its hopes of winning the series.

Harmison is an enigma. He is 6ft 6in, but likes to pretend he is two inches shorter, hates travel and the four hour trip between his home in Northumberland and Birmingham will seem to be the same distance as between earth and the moon to this unusual cricketer and has only rarely shown his full potential for England even though he has taken 212 wickets in 57 Tests.

This season, untroubled by the pressures that international cricket brings, he has taken 41 first class wickets for Durham in nine matches.

He has bowled at the economical rate of under three runs an over and averages 22.82 runs a wicket. His best figures have been six for 122 against Hampshire.

Miller has also recalled Paul Collingwood, who was so distressed at being dropped that he completely lost the plot.

The squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Andrew Strauss. Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Steve Harmison.

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