Harmison: Is he worth the trouble?

[Speedboy Salesman]

He is England's fastest bowler, he can rip through opposition, or he can do bugger all and leak runs down the legside. Is it time for him to start performing and if he doesn't, show him the door?

[flanflinger]

I really can't see him being shown the door. It would be good if he did start getting his line right and his pace back. But we have seen in the past he has the potential to do it, and I feel he can do it again.

He is a guy who needs confidence, needs to be backed, and needs to feel he is part of the team. If he gets that then he is probably the most destructive bowler we have.

The guy who Captains him the best is Michael Vaughan, and I feel he will get the best out of him, but it will take more than one Test to get him there. I believe that by the fourth Test, such comments that he should go, will be history.

Also, with the injuries we have, can we afford to drop Harmison? Even if we did drop him, who would come in - Anderson?

I do hate threads like this, all negative and no positive possible resolution. So SS, if you dropped him, who would you bring in?

[Gremlin]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

I really can't see him being shown the door.

Probably couldn't hit it from 22 yards anyway....

In all seriousness, this summer must be his make or break season. He is capable of being the world's best quickie at present - that's for sure. However, he really must start to demonstrate that again on a regular basis. Let's hope that AD can help him with the mental side of being a true champion.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

FFs hit it on the head. You drop harmo, who performs, at best, randomly but is capable of being the best bowler in the world and bring in who ? I know harmo is pants more often than he's good but certainly no worse than the likes of anderson and mahmood. So, in and ashley-giles-before-he-was-injured sort of way - we're stuck with him no matter how badly he bowls and how much he whines and whinges.

[darksideofthemoon]

But Harmison has been playing Test cricket for over 5 years. Anderson gets a Test here and another there. Drinks waiter for 21 Tests. I wonder how Harmison would do in that situation. When Anderson was given a long run in the ODI side he took 41 wickets in a year. Then he was dropped for a bowler who could bat and brought back and dropped and so on.

[greg]

Give him a couple of games under Donald's coaching and if there is no improvement you have to say enough is enough.He has gone backwards since Cooley left and hopefully Donald can spark some life into him.If not goodbye and thanks for the memories.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by greg

If not goodbye and thanks for the memories.

Great, but Greg, who would you replace him with? Anderson, Mahmood, Broad?? Two of those guys are equally as erratic and one completely unproven.

For all your complaint and moans, the guy is on the brink of 200 Test wickets, only Hoggard in the current England team has more!! There is no point dropping him in the hope that one of the other guys might do a better job?

[greg]

Give Broad a run in the side,he can't do any worse than Harmison who is so wayward it is untrue.He makes Devon Malcolm look accurate these days and is fast becoming a liability.

[flanflinger]

When he gets fit, then he will come into the mix. But it is acknowledged that he is not as fast, and may need another season in County Cricket. I think throwing him in, in place of Harmison, at this stage would be foolish.

[pie_chucker]

Broad also has the habit of bowling too short!

Although Broad is hyped up, at the moment he's no better than Plunkett never mind Harmison