Harmison replaces injured Jones

Published August 5, 2002

LONDON, Aug 4: Durham fast bowler Stephen Harmison has replaced the injured Simon Jones in the England squad for the second Test against India starting at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Kent’s Robert Key will open the batting with Michael Vaughan while Surrey pace bowler Alex Tudor returns after injury in a squad of 13 named Sunday.

Jones made an impressive Test debut at Lord’s on a lifeless pitch but picked up a side strain during England’s comprehensive 170-run victory. He will undergo another scan on Monday.

Harmison’s county career has been repeatedly interrupted by injury but, like Jones, he has the raw pace that captain Nasser Hussain has been seeking both against the talented India batting line-up and during the forthcoming Ashes tour of Australia.

Key, who has scored 990 runs at 44.5 this season, gets his chance after the decision of Graham Thorpe to take a break from Test cricket while he sorts out his domestic life.

“Simon Jones was not considered for this match as he has an injury to his left side and will undergo a further scan tomorrow to enable us to assess how long he will be out for,” said England chairman of selectors David Graveney.

“We view Stephen Harmison as a like-for-like replacement who gives us the option of express pace if required.”

With both of England’s leading strike bowlers, Darren Gough and Andy Caddick, out through injury, England have modified their requirement that bowlers must prove their fitness in a four-day county match if they are to be considered for selection.

Tudor, who has recovered from shin problems, played a one-day match last week and Graveney said he would be given every opportunity this week to prove he is fully fit.

“We also considered Ian Bell and David Fulton as replacements for Graham Thorpe,” Graveney added.

“But Robert Key has been in outstanding form for Kent and his career has really kicked on this season after he attended the National Academy in Australia last winter. He will open the batting with Michael Vaughan with Mark Butcher coming in at number three.”

SQUAD: Michael Vaughan, Robert Key, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (captain), John Crawley, Alec Stewart, Andy Flintoff, Craig White, Dominic Cork, Alex Tudor, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison.

Bradman’s dream teams

SYDNEY: The late Don Bradman chose six members of Australia’s 1948 “Invincibles” in his Ashes dream team for a new book which is set to be launched by his biographer, shunning Steve Waugh’s all-conquering side of recent years.

Teams:

AUSTRALIA: Bill Ponsford, Arthur Morris, Don Bradman, Neil Harvey, Charlie Macartney, Keith Miller, Don Tallon, Ray Lindwall, Dennis Lillee, Bill O’Reilly, Clarrie Grimmett, Richie Benaud (12th man).

ENGLAND: Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Denis Compton, Peter May, Wally Hammond, W.G. Grace, Godfrey Evans, Fred Trueman, Alec Bedser, S.F. Barnes, Hedley Verity, Ian Botham (12th man).—Reuters

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