England’s Harmison quits one-day cricket, Vaughan recalled
by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter
DateLine: 22nd December 2006
England fast bowler Steve Harmison announced his retirement from
one-day internationals on Thursday, while injured captain Michael
Vaughan was recalled for next month's triangular series in Australia.
Harmison, 28, said he wanted to concentrate on Test cricket as he quit
ahead of the series with Australia and New Zealand and next year's
World Cup.
"After careful consideration and having taken advice from several
people who have been close to me throughout my career, I have decided
to retire from one-day international cricket with immediate effect," he
said in a statement. "This has been a difficult decision but I want to
play at the highest level for as long as I can and believe that
concentrating solely on Test cricket is the best way forward for me
during the next phase of what will hopefully be a long England career,"
he said.
Harmison has struggled with his form, taking just one wicket in the
first two Ashes Tests against Australia. He took five in Perth but was
unable to prevent Australia taking an unbeatable 3-0 series lead. He
has taken 67 wickets in 46 one-day matches for England at an average of
30.7.
Selectors said Vaughan's inclusion in the 16-man squad for January's
series with Australia and New Zealand was subject to fitness and they
would delay appointing a captain until after the Ashes Test series
against Australia, scheduled to end on January 6.
"Michael Vaughan has been included in the one-day squad subject to
fitness," said chairman of selectors David Graveney. "He has made
excellent progress with his recovery from injury but we feel that it
would not be appropriate to announce the captaincy of the one-day side
at this stage and will delay any announcement until after the Test
series."
Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who took eight wickets at Perth, has
been included in a one-day squad for the first time.
The squad: James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, James Dalrymple,
Andrew Flintoff, Ed Joyce, Jon Lewis, Sajid Mahmood, Paul Nixon, Monty
Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Chris Read, Andrew Strauss,
Chris Tremlett and Michael Vaughan.
