Forget Harmison. Think Wright.

I think most people missed the big news that came out of England's winter touring parties. The BBC was typical in having as its headline 'England omit Harmison for SA tour', yet the selection of Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright (below) was a far more interesting and significant story.




A classy allrounder is not essential in a top Test side, but it's pretty damn important. If you don't have an allrounder, then you better have a leg-spinner (Australia in the nineties) or a fearsome battery of pace bowlers (the West Indies in the eighties). The England selectors obviously have high hopes for Wright, and this winter could be his big chance to make a mark in a Freddie-less England.

Luke Wright is the future. The omission of an under-performing, retirement-threatening Steve Harmison should have been the least surprising part of the entire announcement.

The clamour for Harmison

The BBC is currently running a poll on their cricket website - should Steve Harmison be recalled for the second test? Terrifyingly, 86%, yes let me repeat that, 86%, think he should (although as the BBC point out, 'the result of this vote should not be taken to represent public opinion').

Don't give in. Stay strong my friends. Don't let one poor bowling performance by Anderson, Broad et al make you forget the last four years of disappointment. Nothing has changed. Harmison has bowled well for Durham this season, but is that really a surprise? Onions for Panesar is surely the only change that can be justified at this stage.

Vote no at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/8146185.stm

This is no time for a novice - YES IT IS!

Whilst perusing the shelves of WHSmith this morning, I was persuaded to buy this month's FourFourTwo magazine. The words 'free cricket magazine!' always do it for me. However, unless you're a football fan, I wouldn't bother. Rehashed, out-of-date and a shameless plug for Sky Sports sums up 646! quite nicely.

However, if you can get past all of that, the one overriding impression is how many 'experts' think both Harmison and Vaughan should be in England's side for the first Ashes test. I don't want to go over old ground here, but I can't stop myself. This is just too important to ignore. How can anyone in their right mind possibly think that Harmison and Vaughan should get back into the England Test team?

Ponting: 'I wouldn't be surprised if Harmison comes back for the Ashes, just like I think Michael Vaughan will play too, probably in the number three spot.' Andrew Strauss: 'People have made out that Harmy's a long way from selection... I wouldn't say that in any way, shape or form.' David Lloyd's England XI for the first test includes both Vaughan AND Harmison.

I wouldn't dare argue with these esteemed players. Actually, I would. What on earth are they thinking? What do they know that we don't? Why is it always left to Bob Willis to tell us the facts? He may have have the most boring voice of all time, but Willis is so right when he says that there should be no way back for Harmison or Vaughan.

Surely, it's about time we moved on from 2005?

Bye bye Harmy!

Why all the fuss about Steve Harmison being left out of the England side? Harmison was last a match winner for England in 2006 when he took 6-19 against Pakistan. Why do we think he is suddenly going to produce the goods now after all this time? In 31 attempts since that game, not once has he taken five wickets in an innings.

Let's face it, Harmison should never have been in the squad for the West Indies in the first place. The selectors only persisted with him because of rapidly-dimming memories of that performance in Jamaica five years ago. But working on that theory, the England selctors should have gone with Devon Malcolm. He was once took 9-54 against South Africa, you know.

You can look short-term (four wickets in the series so far) or you can look long term (a steady downhill slide from the time he was ranked number one bowler in the world). In fact, you can look any way you want - Harmison is no longer producing the goods. He is yesterday's man. The selectors should forget him, and move on. And don't start me on his inclusion in the one-day squad - he was never any good at that in the first place.