Harmison pace can unsettle Indians

How ironic it is that England, with more bowlers currently in the top 10 of the world rankings than any other side, should be going through a crisis in that very department. Australia and Pakistan have two each, but England, with Matthew Hoggard at five, Andrew Caddick (nine) and Darren Gough (10), have three.

Add to the list, Alex Tudor and Andrew Flintoff, the raw pace of last week's Test debutant Simon Jones and the wise old heads of Dominic Cork and Craig White, and suddenly England have a battery of fast bowlers to envy. However, this is scant consolation when three of them are injured.

The latest newboy with a chance to benefit from the misfortune of others is Durham's fast bowler Stephen Harmison who is included in the England squad for the second Test which begins at Trent Bridge tomorrow. An intercostal injury similar to those suffered by Caddick and Jones has reduced Harmison's season to just five games and 13 wickets for Durham, however, at 6ft 4in he extracts steep bounce from a good length that could unsettle India's batsmen in a way Jones managed at Lord's.

The call-up is not new to Harmison: he was named in four previous squads ­ two against both Zimbabwe and the West Indies in 2000 ­ and each time failed to make the final XI. However, with Tudor yesterday being released from the squad to play for Surrey, his chances of making his debut increased, especially if the pitch is similar to the one at Lord's.

Talking about the inevitable comparisons between Jones and himself, Harmison said: "We are a similar pace but different bowlers. He is skiddy, I get bounce. I can't wait for Thursday to come around."

Harmison's languid run-up and loose-limbed high action are similar to those of bowlers from the Caribbean, as is the length he tends to bowl ­ short. And it is control that needs developing. His radar may be better than that of Jones but it still has some way to go before he starts challenging England's top three. With pace and bounce, though, two out of three ain't bad.