da wazamba： It was a good day at the office for Steve Harmison. He bowled 16 overs for 34, and picked up two important wickets as well
da heads bet： Andrew Miller at Sydney03-Jan-2007
Steve Harmison cranked up the pace at the SCG but it only added to the frustrations of the series © Getty Images
It was a good day at the office for Steve Harmison. He bowled 16 overs for 34, and picked up two important wickets as well. But he knows, better than anyone, that it has all come too late for England in this Ashes series, and afterwards he admitted his frustration at the inconsistencies that have dogged his career.”It is frustrating for me and I’m sure it’s frustrating for everybody watching,” said Harmison, “but I’m trying my hardest. If you see me at the end of each day I’ve always given everything I possibly could. I can’t do anything more than keep trying.”Three more days of effort is what it is going to take for England to avoidthe dreaded whitewash, but Harmison at least has the memories of England’slast Test at Sydney, when they defeated Steve Waugh’s men to salvage a 4-1series scoreline.”I’m the only one left that’s been in this position before of being 4-0 downgoing into Sydney,” he added. “We won last time and hopefully we can draw onthat and give it one last effort to spoil the party. We’re trying to win aTest match and three fine cricketers are going out at the end of this match.England want to win it.
Harmison bowled a good line to the right handers, especially in the final session. Click here to enlarge© Hawk-Eye
“I think we’re in a good position,” he added, after restricting Australia to4 for 188 at the close. “We’re pretty happy although going out for thoselast 11 overs we’d have been happy with one more wicket. If you showpatience as a bowler and stick it in the right area things will happen.”Once again, Harmison was overlooked for the new ball, which was shared byAndrew Flintoff and James Anderson, but he insisted he wasn’t bothered. “Iwill do what my captain says. I will do what my team wants me to do,” hesaid. “It’s not passing the buck because all I want to do is play forEngland.”I’ll do whatever job I’m asked to do, to play for England to the best of my capabilities,” he continued. “Fred has taken the new ball at Adelaide and taken early wickets, and he’s taken the new ball at Perth and got a couple of wickets, and he did the same at Brisbane. I have just got to bide my time.” In fact, Flintoff went wicketless at Perth, but it was not for want of effort.”I didn’t have any rhythm at all today,” said Harmison. “I tried to bepatient and put the ball in a good area rather than try and take wickets all the time. I didn’t bowl the 90mph balls that I can bowl. My speed was down but my rhythm was off and I’m reasonably content with the way things have gone. But it would be nice if I was bowling 90mph and putting the ball in the right areas.”
