STEVE Harmison has confirmed his total commitment to England after helping push the one-day side to the verge of one-day glory over South Africa.
Durham fast bowler Harmison plays his third match since reversing his limited-overs retirement at The Brit Oval today, one that would rubber-stamp NatWest Series success should it end in victory. The 29-year-old was coaxed back on the eve of the camp
aign and has now declared himself available for all England matches.
The end of his self-imposed exile, however, does leave the tricky matter of whether he will play in the cash-rich Stanford contest in Antigua on 1 November, in which players on the winning side will pick up £500,000 each. “It is awkward,” said Harmison, of a situation not of his initial making. “I have said to the captain and the coach what my feelings are and I don’t really want to say them in public.
“At the end of the day I was looking more long-term in the winter and getting ready for the Test series. I didn’t envisage coming back to play in this series, which makes it awkward, but that is a bit down the line. If I am picked for that game there is not much I can do about it.
“At the moment we have three games to win and if we do win that will be important for this England team as we head to Antigua and into the winter. I am available from now to play every one-day international and Twenty20 for England.”
Having grooved his action and got miles into his legs, Harmison’s return has been impressive, with four Test wickets at The Oval followed by as many one-day victims, despite only bowling one over in South Africa’s 83 all out on Tuesday.
No changes are expected to a side that effected only a third England ten-wicket victory in one-day history on Tuesday, and one which needs to win only once more to seal the series.
The full article contains 350 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
