You are in > manchester.com  > News > Miller says there's "no risk" in Harmison recall

Cricket

Miller says there's "no risk" in Harmison recall

27/07/2008

Geoff Miller says that "there's no risk at all" in the decision to recall Steve Harmison to the England squad for the third Test against South Africa.

Harmison was recalled to the England squad on Saturday, but the decision was called into question in some quarters, particularly as Harmison was hit for 47 runs from just 3.4 overs in the Twenty20 Cup semi-final.

National selector Miller was keen to put the emphasis on the Durham bowler's previous form, however.

"There's no risk at all," Miller said. "We wouldn't have put him in if we thought there was a risk.

"We talk to all the players regularly and I have watched him bowl this year and talked to him myself.

"People are now saying he is in a better place than he was, and he now looks like the bowler he was a couple of years ago when he was striking fear into opposition batsmen."

The 29-year-old last featured during England's winter tour of New Zealand, but was left out following a miserable performance in the first test last March.

The Durham fast bowler, who has 212 wickets in 57 Tests, has since played his way back into contention with some strong performances in county cricket. He is the leading wicket taker in Division One of the LV County Championship.

Miller hinted that Stuart Broad might be the one to make way for Harmison in the starting XI.

"Stuart is a young lad and he has done really, really well," he said.

"But at some stage you have to look at the situation, you do not want burnout, and there is a lot of cricket to be played.

"He's involved in both five-day and one-day cricket and there is lots and lots of that.

"It is a case of nurturing him and making sure we get the best out of him now if possible but over a longer period of time as well."