STRAUSS: I WILL MAKE HARMISON FIRE
Andrew Strauss has marked Steve Harmison as England’s main weapon of attack and is hopeful that the Durham quick can reproduce his career-best haul of 7-12 in the Caribbean once again.
The 30-year-old has been dogged by poor form since achieving those figures in the first Test against the West Indies in Jamaica almost five years ago. But Strauss, the new England captain, believes that Harmison can propel his country to victory – not only in the upcoming Test series, but also in the summer’s highly-anticipated Ashes clash on home soil.
“If Steve Harmison is bowling well and at 90mph, he's the first name on pretty much any team sheet in the world,” said the Middlesex opener before his team flew out to the Caribbean on Wedsnesday morning.
“Clearly he's as frustrated as anyone that he hasn't been able to do that as consistently as he'd like. I've spoken to him a couple of times since we've come back from India [following former captain, Kevin Pietersen’s resignation] and he has a clear understanding of where he needs to go to bowl consistently at that sort of pace.
“I'm happy with what he's said to me in terms of how he's going to get there. I'm confident. He's a very important player for us in terms of the threat that he gives us on the pitch.
“We all feel this could be a really big tour for him and looking forward to the Ashes if he can hit his straps on this tour we're in a good position.”
Strauss added that Pietersen, shorn of his responsibilities as skipper, would continue to be a key figure. “He is going to play a very big role,” he added of the Hampshire batsman, “but he has had a lot on his plate recently and it’s very important that he has got the ability to concentrate on his batting and get the runs that we all know he can.”
Andrew Strauss has marked Steve Harmison as England’s main weapon of attack and is hopeful that the Durham quick can reproduce his career-best haul of 7-12 in the Caribbean once again.
The 30-year-old has been dogged by poor form since achieving those figures in the first Test against the West Indies in Jamaica almost five years ago. But Strauss, the new England captain, believes that Harmison can propel his country to victory – not only in the upcoming Test series, but also in the summer’s highly-anticipated Ashes clash on home soil.
“If Steve Harmison is bowling well and at 90mph, he's the first name on pretty much any team sheet in the world,” said the Middlesex opener before his team flew out to the Caribbean on Wedsnesday morning.
“Clearly he's as frustrated as anyone that he hasn't been able to do that as consistently as he'd like. I've spoken to him a couple of times since we've come back from India [following former captain, Kevin Pietersen’s resignation] and he has a clear understanding of where he needs to go to bowl consistently at that sort of pace.
“I'm happy with what he's said to me in terms of how he's going to get there. I'm confident. He's a very important player for us in terms of the threat that he gives us on the pitch.
“We all feel this could be a really big tour for him and looking forward to the Ashes if he can hit his straps on this tour we're in a good position.”
Strauss added that Pietersen, shorn of his responsibilities as skipper, would continue to be a key figure. “He is going to play a very big role,” he added of the Hampshire batsman, “but he has had a lot on his plate recently and it’s very important that he has got the ability to concentrate on his batting and get the runs that we all know he can.”
Labels: Andrew Strauss, England, Kevin Pietersen, Steve Harmison, West Indies
