Harmison will battle on

/ Editor / 10 June 2007 / Leave a Comment

Steve Harmison has vowed to battle through his bad patch and cement his place in the fourth and last Test against West Indies on home soil.

England face the struggling Windies at Durham's Riverside in the final match of the four-Test series, which starts on June 15, and Harmison knows he needs to improve on his hit-and-miss form to guarantee his starting berth especially with Matthew Hoggard on the mend from a groin injury.

Harmison, who is trading at 3.5 behind Monty Panesar (1.72) and Ryan Sidebottom (2.8) on Betfair's "Test Series - Top England Wicket Taker" market, wrote in his column in the Mail on Sunday: "Everybody seems to be an expert about the problems I'm having at the moment.

"You don't need a degree in rocket science to see that I am going through a battling patch at the moment and it's terribly frustrating.

"If the selectors decide not to pick me for the next Test at my home ground, Chester-le-Street, I will be disappointed and upset but there is nothing I can do about it.

"But there is no way in the world I am going to say I don't want to play for England. To me, that would be the easy way out and the weak way out and I have no intention of taking it.

"I don't want to be taken out of the spotlight. I try to give them everything and I am fighting and trying to get things right for myself and for them.

"I'm not sure what purpose could be served by me taking or being given a rest from Test cricket.
"Will I try any harder to get things right? I could try harder and, to be honest, maybe I'm trying too hard," added the 28-year-old, who has been working with new England bowling coach Allan Donald as he looks to find some consistency to his game.