Harmison retires from ODIs

England fast bowler Steve Harmison has retired from One Day International cricket ahead of the Commonwealth Bank series and the World Cup.

Harmison, who has achieved far less success with the white ball than the red, taking 67 wickets in 46 ODIs. He missed out on England’s 16-man squad for the Commonwealth Bank series in Australia in the new year.

The England captain Michael Vaughan is in the squad to take on Australia and New Zealand, however, although any announcement as to whether he will lead the side has been delayed until after the Ashes have been concluded.

He will be joined by Monty Panesar, who’s in an ODI squad for the first time, and injury prone seamer Chris Tremlett.

However, the biggest surprise is Leicestershire wicketkeeper Paul Nixon, who replaces Geraint Jones as Chris Read’s opposition for the gloves. 36 year-old Nixon has been overlooked by England selectors in the past, despite averaging over 30 in First Class cricket, but has caught Duncan Fletcher’s eye by flourishing in Twenty20 cricket whilst Jones has fallen from grace with his poor batting performances in the Ashes.

England squad for Commonwealth Bank series
J Anderson, I Bell, P Collingwood, J Dalrymple, A Flintoff, E Joyce, J Lewis, S Mahmood, P Nixon, M Panesar, K Pietersen, L Plunkett, C Read, A Strauss, C Tremlett, M Vaughan