“Family Man” is the phrase fast becoming as synonymous with Steve Harmison as “lacklustre”, “out of form” or “niggled”. But are any of these all-too-common accusations fair to the man who has taken 212 wickets in 57 Tests for England?

The tag “family man” is taking on a derogatory and almost accusatory tone in English cricket as of late, the implication being that Harmison would rather be with his children (he now has four) than on the pitch for England.

Well if “family man” is such a terrible thing, why does Mike “Mr Cricket” Hussey, ranked second best batsman in Test Cricket by the ICC,  manage an international average of 78.15 when he is married with three children?

'Whatever the reasons behind Harmison’s form, they do not lie in his marital status or however many children he may have'


Why did Brett Lee, ranked fourth in the ICC bowling averages, see his form steadily improve in the 15 months since the birth of his first son? The tag “family man” does not, it seems, haunt those taking wickets and scoring runs.

So if the “family man” curse is such a falsehood, why is it continually tagged on to any mention of bad form on Harmison’s part? Is Harmison suffering a backlash for his honesty in admitting to suffering homesickness and missing his wife and daughters?

Is it now common belief that he became a father and lost all will to bowl a cricket ball? That he cannot possibly regain an England place as he can never stop being a “family man”? Harmison was a father before his test debut in 2002. He was a father when he took 7 for 12 against the West Indies in 2004, and was still a father when he spearheaded a ferocious England attack to win the Ashes in 2005.

Harmison can never stop being a “family man” but clearly this is not the reason behind his faltering form. Perhaps those citing it as such are the ones determined that Harmison will not discover his best form and return to lead the England attack.

Whatever the reasons behind Harmison’s form, they do not lie in his marital status or however many children he may have. I have every faith that Steve Harmison’s problems are surmountable and a break in county cricket could easily inspire a return to winning ways before the end of 2008.
It is time the “family man” tag was cast aside and Steve Harmison was shown some confidence and support from the English public who are so keen to write him off. After all, form in temporary, class is permanent.