Steve Harmison

Stephen James Harmison (born 23 October 1978, Ashington, Northumberland) is an England cricketer, and a leading Test match fast bowler. He plays county cricket for Durham. He is 6'5" tall, and can extract pace and bounce from most pitches.

Related Topics:
23 October - 1978 - Ashington - Northumberland - England - Cricket - Test match - Fast bowler - County cricket - Durham - Pace - Bounce - Pitch

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Harmison was first selected for an England squad in May 2000 during the tour to England by Zimbabwe, but was not played. As part of an ECB National Academy touring team that also contained Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Robert Key, Harmison showed clear signs of his ability in the tour of Australia in 2001/2002. In August of 2002, Harmison made his Test match debut at Trent Bridge against India, replacing the injured Simon Jones.

Related Topics:
Zimbabwe - ECB National Academy - Andrew Strauss - Ian Bell - Robert Key - 2001 - 2002 - Trent Bridge - India - Simon Jones

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Originally lacking somewhat in control, he bowled seven consecutive wides in the first match of the tour of Australia, against the ACB Chairman's XI's in Perth in 2002. However, promising performances later in the tour saw him named in the World Cup squad, although he wasn't used in any of the matches. He was then awarded with a six month central contract by the ECB, but this was not renewed in September 2003.

Related Topics:
Wides - Australia - Perth - World Cup

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Despite media complaints about his ability, he was named in the England squad for the winter tour to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, partially due to injuries to other players. Harmison gave a man-of-the-match performance in the opening Test against Bangladesh, taking 9 wickets for 79 on a slow wicket, before succumbing to a back injury and missing the matches against Sri Lanka. Despite the injury, he'd done enough to be selected for the winter tour to the West Indies, and it was there he sealed his arrival, taking 7 wickets at the cost of just 12 runs as the West Indies collapsed to their lowest ever Test total of 42 all out. Harmison went on to win the Man of the Series award after taking 23 wickets in the four Tests.

Related Topics:
Bangladesh - Sri Lanka - West Indies

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With the West Indies touring England in 2004, it was expected that Harmison, who had also shone in the three-match Test series against New Zealand earlier in 2004, would again be England's lead bowler, and the West Indies captain Brian Lara went as far as suggesting that England had no plan B after Harmison. However, Harmison was outshone by spin bowler Ashley Giles for the first three Tests, before he took 9 wickets in the final Test match. In that final match, he also punished the West Indies bowling with the bat, hitting three sixes and three fours in a brief innings ending at 34 not out. Harmison's bowling performance in this match took him to the top of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Cricket Ratings.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - Brian Lara - Spin bowler - Ashley Giles - PricewaterhouseCoopers Cricket Ratings

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Harmison disappointed with the ball on the 2004/05 England tour of South Africa, taking just 9 wickets in the Test series at the extremely high average of 73.22. During this series, he spoke frankly about his homesickness on foreign tours. However, his solid performances with the bat, including an innings high score of 42 in the 3rd Test, led some commentators to note, not altogether jokingly, that he was now making a case to be considered a tail all-rounder. Despite these disappointments, he was still named as one of five cricketers of the year by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack in 2005.

Related Topics:
South Africa - Wisden Cricketer's Almanack

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In summer 2005 Harmison was part of the England team that regained The Ashes from Australia. He started the series well, with a hostile opening spell in the , and although later outshone by Flintoff and Jones, exerted pressure and claimed important wickets thoughout.

Related Topics:
The Ashes - Flintoff - Jones

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