Steve Harmison

[GIMH]

Fine, 20/0

If Saj Mahmood had done what Harmison did in this tour game, there wouldn't be any calls for his inclusion.

You're way wrong.

It's just that the posters calling for his inclusion would go by usernames such as Burgey and Son of Coco

 

[zaremba]

Fine, 20/0

If Saj Mahmood had done what Harmison did in this tour game, there wouldn't be any calls for his inclusion.

Because Harmison has shown himself, from time to time, capable of being a Test class bowler and Saj never has and never will.

But I know it's wrong to think Harmison should be selected, I really do. Bad zaremba.

 

[GIMH]

Can't fathom how anyone would rather have him in the team than Broad. Onions, almost maybe. But Broad?

The arguments against Broad seem to be based around his Test average of 38, and that he hasn't bowled well prior to playing the West Indies. Yet Harmison averages about 38 over a much longer period than Broad (about 4 years I believe) and hasn't bowled well in anything other than a dead rubber in ages.

Don't get me wrong. I like Harmison, and I'd love to see the guy do well if he was selected as I genuinely believe that, like Brett Lee, he is one of the nice guys of cricket. But he has zero case to play ahead of Broad as far as I can tell.

 

[zaremba]

Broad will play, and should play imho. It's the Onions / Monty / Sidebottom position that Harmison would be a contender for.

 

[GIMH]

If we were going to pick someone on reputation then it should be Sidebottom. If we were going to pick someone on form, it should be Onions. The only reason, IMO, to pick Harmison, is if there's a gun to the selectors' heads and the assassin wants them to pick either Harmison or Panesar.

Of course, all this being said, the stupid bastards will go ahead and pick Panesar

 

[BoyBrumby]

Broad's playing, honestly no way he'll be left out after he's finally looking like halfway justifying the faith.

Onions or Harmy a crap shot, tbh. Would play either ahead of Panser or Sid tho. Harmy's shown the way to bowl to Hughes, but Fred & Braod are both 6' 5" bowlers who can bang it in, so it's possible we can do without him.

Undecided here, 'cos it's the truth.

 

[GIMH]

I wouldn't be against Harmison being picked later in the series, if other options have failed. But he has done nothing to jump the queue just yet, IMO.

 

[zaremba]

So GIMH and BB and Fred, what XIs would you choose for Cardiff?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Pretty sure I won't be able to stop the tears if we select Panesar, however.

 

[fredfertang]

If the Australians think Harmison is bowling well then he's bowling well - getting inside the oppositions minds is going to be crucial in this series - England just about have the psychological advantage now - we need to keep it

 

[Uppercut]

Bowler who has been distinctly average for four years takes six wickets in two innings in a warm-up game and people want a recall? It's not like he's even bowling anywhere near his best.

 

[BoyBrumby]

So GIMH and BB, what XIs would you choose for Cardiff?

Me:

Strauss*
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior+
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions

First ten set in stone, IMHO. Can see any one of three (Sid, Monty, Harmy) replacing Onions tho.

 

[zaremba]

I hear ya, Uppercut, I hear ya.




And yet...

 

[Furball]

Me:

Strauss*
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior+
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions

First ten set in stone, IMHO. Can see any one of three (Sid, Monty, Harmy) replacing Onions tho.

That's precisely the side I would pick and there's absolutely no justification IMO for the selection being any different.

 

[Furball]

Bowler who has been distinctly average for four years takes six wickets in two innings in a warm-up game and people want a recall? It's not like he's even bowling anywhere near his best.

But he got PACE and BOUNCE!

And he DISMISSED Phil Hughes! TWICE!

 

[Richard]

If the Australians think Harmison is bowling well then he's bowling well - getting inside the oppositions minds is going to be crucial in this series - England just about have the psychological advantage now - we need to keep it

The Australians apparently thought Harmison was bowling well in 2005 too - he still made sod-all contribution to the four matches England dominated.

We've been here again and again with Harmison. He has never, ever been a Test-quality bowler. To expect that to change at the age of 30 is to ask one hell of a lot. Nothing is impossible. But that would be one of the longer shots in history.

 

[GIMH]

So GIMH and BB and Fred, what XIs would you choose for Cardiff?

Strauss*
Cook
Bopara
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior+
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions

Would love to see Sidey in the team but honestly think Onions deserves it more

 

[Uppercut]

I hear ya, Uppercut, I hear ya.




And yet...

I do see where you're coming from. I sincerely don't expect him to do well though. Should be called into the squad so that Hughes and Ponting spend the next week worrying about how to combat Harmy, then not picked.

 

[fredfertang]

The Australians apparently thought Harmison was bowling well in 2005 too - he still made sod-all contribution to the four matches England dominated.

We've been here again and again with Harmison. He has never, ever been a Test-quality bowler. To expect that to change at the age of 30 is to ask one hell of a lot. Nothing is impossible. But that would be one of the longer shots in history.

Frustrating bowler Harmison but that's harsh Rich

 

[zaremba]

He has never, ever been a Test-quality bowler.