LONDON, Aug 28: Former England great Ian Botham has lashed out at the country’s selectors about team selection for fourth Test at Headingley, which South Africa won by a huge margin of 191 runs.

He described performance by England bowlers as the “worst he had ever seen,” and said it was “a disgrace” that fast bowler Steve Harmison had not been included in the team, despite passing two fitness tests before the match.

“I always played with passion when I represented my country, but the way our bowlers performed in fourth Test made me sick,” said the former all-rounder.

“Where is our cricket heading when a 35-year old who has not played Test cricket for ten years (Martin Bicknell) is selected? Who will you as a batsman rather face on a pitch like that at Headingley - someone who delivers the ball at 75 miles an hour or someone who bowls at 90 miles an hour, like Harmison?

“Harmison would have been almost unplayable at Headingley, but he had to watch from the dressing room as clumsy bowlers tried to dismiss South Africa.”

As if to underline Botham’s point, Harmison recorded his best-ever one-day bowling figures for Durham against Sussex on Tuesday, and it seems a foregone conclusion he will return to the team for fifth Test at the Oval next week.

Botham was also unimpressed with England bowlers James Kirtley and James Anderson, saying he would prefer to see someone like Martin Saggers of Kent in the team.—PPI