London, Oct.24 (ANI): South Africa cricket coach Mickey Arthur believes England have missed a trick by not selecting fast bowler Steve Harmison for their winter tour of his country.
The Durham paceman was left out of England's touring party for the four-Test series, which begins at Centurion on December 16, despite playing in the final two Tests of the successful Ashes campaign.
Arthur believes Harmison's high action and steepling bounce would have been perfectly suited to the quicker wickets in South Africa, claiming his batsmen were relieved to learn of the 31-year-old's exclusion.
"He was the one England bowler who could rough us up. If they're trying to build a team for the next Ashes and Harmison isn't going to be there, I can see why they've done it. But a few of our batters will have seen that tour party and been pretty happy he's not on the plane - especially with our wickets, which will have plenty of pace and bounce," Arthur told the Daily Mail.
"He would have been a very awkward proposition," he added.(ANI)
The Durham paceman was left out of England's touring party for the four-Test series, which begins at Centurion on December 16, despite playing in the final two Tests of the successful Ashes campaign.
Arthur believes Harmison's high action and steepling bounce would have been perfectly suited to the quicker wickets in South Africa, claiming his batsmen were relieved to learn of the 31-year-old's exclusion.
"He was the one England bowler who could rough us up. If they're trying to build a team for the next Ashes and Harmison isn't going to be there, I can see why they've done it. But a few of our batters will have seen that tour party and been pretty happy he's not on the plane - especially with our wickets, which will have plenty of pace and bounce," Arthur told the Daily Mail.
"He would have been a very awkward proposition," he added.(ANI)
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