Harmison is back!!!...?

Question

Steve Harmison has been recalled by England for the third Test against South Africa at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

Harmison who had lost all confidence in his ability just 6 months ago has shown great desire to get back into the side. He is the leading wicket taker in First Class in cricket, and in my opinion he is the injection of pace that England need.

Do you think Harmison can get near to the form of 2004?

If Harmison (God forbid) bowls wayward and uncovincingly, is his England career over?

Do you think Simon Jones had a chance of being recalled for this test match?

Where do you think Matthew Hoggard is in the England pecking order?

Any other commentd you want to make about the squad, feel free to do so :)

Answer 1

I was so glad to hear this! He should have had the call up in the last game.

He's been playing tremendously well for Durham and has been getting those all important wickets at a very good average and at a good pace too. He's probably England's fastest bowler and they need that extra bit of pace right now, especially as Sidebottom and Anderson average mid-to-low 80s (mph).

Harmison went away and did everything the selectors asked of him, he seems to have a lot more confidence in his game and is able to get the ball in the right place consistently. I hope he repays their faith with a good solid game for England.

Your questions:

1) No I don't think Harmison will ever be able to get back to the form he showed in 04. I think that was a super year for him, he averaged around 19 (and was number 1 in the world) but I think it was a one off. Why? Well his average before then and after then has always been much higher, indicating that that year was a rare phenomenon. I think he can get be a very good bowler again in international cricket but I have my doubts he can achieve the feats he did back then.

2) Yes, I believe it will be over if he can’t bowl his lines properly and goes a bit wayward. He’s had ample opportunities and many chances in the team to play great cricket but sometimes his bowling has been shocking. I think if it all goes wrong then the selectors will move on from him. There are only so many chances you should afford players to regain their form, I think this will be Harmison’s last opportunity. I really hope he makes the most of it.

3) No. I don’t think Jones is ready quite yet, he needs to bowl more at county level. International bowling is a h**l of a lot more rigorous and stressful to the body than county cricket is. Bringing him back now could have a detrimental effect on his career, especially if he gets injured again (look what happened to Flintoff). If he is to play international cricket at this time then I would give him a go in the ODIs rather than the Tests, just to see how he performs and if he can get through it without any trouble.

4) Hoggard is a difficult on to assess really. He’s playing well for Yorkshire and should be in the selectors thoughts. In the pecking order though he’s obviously below Harmison but I think Hoggard has a better chance of making the team than poor old Tremlett (or Mahmood and Plunkett et al) does at the moment, the guy can‘t buy a bowl. I don’t think the selectors will drop Broad yet but there could be a chance for another bowler to come in if Broad under performs, it could be Hoggard or it could be another bowler. One things for sure if it isn’t Hoggard then it might be the end of his international career.

Any other thought? Hmm, well it's obviously last chance saloon for Ambrose, these next few games will be crucial for his career. But I expect him to be dropped after the ODIs anyway.

Answer 2

Oh no!

I would prefer S. Jones and Hoggard to Harmisson

I also think Freddie should have to fight for his place in the side, not just be granted it.

Answer 3

I think confusion reigns in England selectorial circles. Harmison lost his place last summer due to injury, came back in Sri Lanka where he looked better than he had for a long time, and actually appeared to want to play for England, had a disappointing First Test against New Zealand, where all the old bad habits came back, was dropped, has since played well in county cricket, and has earned a recall.

The problem with Harmison is, we have spent four years waiting for the form of 2004 to return. I think we need to accept that this will never happen, but acknowledge that he is a fast bowler who can occasionally summon up moments of magic. If the rest of the bowling attack is firing on all cylinders, that England can afford (just) to have Harmison as a 'luxury' player, who generally is fairly mediocre, but comes up with match winning spells of brilliance every now and then. If this was to happen say, one Test in every four, that would be fantastic. However, it happens on far fewer occasions than England desire.

If he is wayward and unconvincing, then you would have to assume that his England career is over. But with the current muddled thinking amongst the England selectors, that's anyones guess.

I don't think Simon Jones had any chance of being recalled for this Test match. England are liaising closely with Worcestershire over Jones's progress, and he is not yet ready for Test cricket (unless you have a burning desire to see his career end very quickly!)

Jones will be taken on the winter tours, and they will assess his readiness there.

Hoggard was unlucky to be dropped, but Anderson is a similar bowler, but faster, and can swing the ball when it goes old. Hoggard's limitation was that on a flat pitch, once it stopped swinging he was a passenger. So I think his England career may be over.

The squad named is what we all expected. It is the make-up of the final eleven that will be interesting. Geoff Miller has moved quickly to pin that responsibility on the captain and coach. Covering his own back there: if all goes well, he will crow about giving the captain the right bunch of players, if it goes badly, he won't be the one in the firing line.

What role Flintoff plays will be crucial. he has stated he is not ready to bat at six, and would prefer to bat at seven. If England want to go in with five bowlers, then they will have to either force Flintoff to bat at six, stick with Ambrose, or push Broad up the order (if they select Broad).

There are a number of bowling options available. Sidebottom obviously will come in for Pattinson. If they go with five bowlers, Harmison will come in for Broad, who looks jaded and needs a rest. If they decide to go in with four bowlers, then they need to decide who to leave out. They could leave out Broad, and replace Anderson with Harmison. But I don't think Vaughan would want this, as his preferred new ball pairing is Anderson and Sidebottom. So Harmison would be left out, if they go for a four man attack, and Vaughan gets his way over the personnel of the four man attack.

Very interesting. And people say cricket is boring!

Answer 4

Harmison's year-wise performances and the number of matches are given below:

2002 - 49.6(5); 2003 - 57.1(7); 2004 - 71.5(16); 2005 - 57.8(11); 2006 - 63.4(11); 2007 - 49.8(6); 2008 - 12.3(1).

From the year 2006, it is down the hill all the way for Harmison. He can not repeat 2004 performance. His career is already over but English selectors are going through nostalgia. At this rate, they can as well call Ian Botham.

Simon Jones' performances:

2002 - 46.1(2); 2004 - 50.3 (10); 2005 - 48.5 (6).

He has not played for 3 years now and what do you think he will do now ? Zilch.

Now about Hoggard. His performances are:

2000 - 0.5(1); 2001 - 57.8(4); 2002 - 65.6(13); 2003 - 43(4); 2004 - 65.2(16); 2005 - 59(10); 2006 - 63.2(14); 2007 - 43.9(4); 2008 - 13.9(1).

Hoggard can return, I feel.

But compare these performances to Chris Tremlett.

2007 - 74.8(3).

English selectors omitted Tremlett and looking elsewhere.

Answer 5

I think he will have to have a blinder for his first spell to help his confidence (just get the first one to the keeper, not 3rd slip lol!) Then he should be right, he has had alot of time to reflect and improve aspects of his game and fitness so I guess it comes down to confidence.

How has Jones been going in county? Is he the same after injury?

Answer 6

yes he is back with joy

Answer 7

1/ Harmison is undoubtedly a confidence bowler and if he has bowlers performing around him he will get back to his best and be more than a handful to any bat. Unfortunately the attack is not so strong so he will struggle, if selected.

Under the current regime I think he is in the last chance saloon, the committee is unforgiving and seem h**l bent on given whoever they choose now a long stint to establish themselves , which only works up to a point , IE Ambrose !!

2/ Jonah should be playing without a shadow of a doubt. We are half way through the season now and he has had a pretty  much injury free spell , particularly if you compare him to Freddie, and is bowling wicket taking balls at a good speed, poor decision by the selectors, too much faith in to little ability.

3/Poor old Hogg.. behind the current squad plus Jonah, Tremlett and Pattinson I suppose, so  way down , which I think is a bit of a travesty.

4/ I predict for the next test :

If SA bat first 500+ , England 200-300 , following on 200 , lose by an innings.

If England bat first 200-300. SA 400+ England 2nd inns 250 SA knock off the runs .

We have not got the guns too score enough runs and the bowlers will be under too much pressure from low scores and a cracking batting line up from SA.

Answer 8

yeah it could last chance for him