Is Steve Harmison destined for cricketing oblivion?

Steve Harmison is threatening to retire if he is not selected for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. 

He has mentioned that it is not a threat nor an ultimatum, delivering the reality that it is exactly that. Harmison, a lanky lad was born in Ashington, a small village in Northumberland that lays claim to being the birthplace of the renowned Charlton brothers. He was 19 went he went with a England A outfit to tour South Africa in 1998-99 – but even then he was prone to injuries and developed what has been a constant malaise to the man – homesickness.

He had no real impact at international level, despite touring with an English Academy team that toured to Australia in 2001-2 – and even then did not make his Test match debut until mid 2002 when he replaced Simon Jones to debut at Trent Bridge against India.

It was here that and in the upcoming tours of Australia that Harmison that he revealed his most confusing weapon - his overwhelming tendency to bowl wides, which has seen him in and out of the central contracts awarded by the ECB.