 It has been a nightmare year: Harmison
18th Nov 2007 19:02 IST
Agencies
A disastrous Ashes campaign and a hernia operation which kept him out of the series against India, has made fast bowler Stephen Harmison understand his bowling much better and is desperate to play for his country again.
''It has been a nightmare year. But what I believe I've learned is that I need to stop worrying and start enjoying my cricket again, playing with a smile not a frown.''
England is facing the problem of plenty with new pacers doing very well. After Harmison was sidelined due to hernia followed by a back problem, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad and James Anderson all turned in strong performances to stake their claim for fast-bowling slots in the side for the Test match against Sri Lanka starting in Kandy.
''Every time I felt like things were starting to go right, something went wrong,'' he said.
Harmison, who has been playing for the Highveldt Lions in a bid to get match fit for the Test series, gave the example of last week's match against the Cape Cobras to explain his new approach to bowling.
''In the past I would probably have agonised too much over the rubbish, but now I was thinking 'Give me the ball because I'm also bowling some top stuff'. By sticking at it I bowled better as the match went on and ended up with nine wickets and a great deal of confidence,'' he told the 'Daily Mail'.
''Maybe I've got to accept that with my action and the way I bowl I'm going to have wayward spells, and instead of beating myself up about sending one way down leg side, I should concentrate on where the next one is going,'' he said.
The 29-yera-old Harmison, reiterated his desire to play for England but added, ''If I'm supposed to be in the side for line and length consistency I shouldn't be.
''Let's be honest, I'm not the best 83mph bowler available to England or the best at 85mph. But when things are going right, with my height and bounce, I can be the best 90mph-plus bowler.'' ''Of course I strive to bowl with better consistency. I'd love to be able to bowl at 90mph-plus six balls out of six, over after over.''
continued.. |
