Winning not wickets is Harmison's priority

Steve Harmison maintains that he is not setting any major goals ahead of England’s three-Test series against India, and that victory is all that matters.”As long as the team’s doing well and even if I get only one wicket, I’m not bothered,” Harmison told reporters at the team’s hotel in Baroda, where England are set to play a three-day match against an Indian Board President’s XI starting tomorrow. “I said that last year in the Ashes, and I got five wickets in the first Test but it meant nothing because we got beat. Then I got 12 wickets in the next four Tests and we won the Ashes. I was chuffed to bits. As long as we win I’m not bothered what wickets I get. If I can go up to Vaughany and say, look I’ve given you everything I’ve got, then that suits me.”Pointing out that Test cricket threw up different challenges under different conditions, Harmison reckoned that what mattered was victory. “Sometimes you bowl well in spells in a few Test matches, and you might get three or four wickets and then you’ll go in for a shower and come back and get four or five more. But that’s doesn’t happen all the time.”While not reading too much into England’s 238-run win against the CCI President’s XI in their tour-opener, Harmison said that it nevertheless was a useful experience. “I think it’s just a work out, really. I’m a big believer in not being too fussy about warm-up games, results and victories and all that, so long as the developing parties get what they need to get out of the practice,” he said. “I bowled 18 overs in that match and a lot of the batters got in and got a few runs, and I think it was a perfect work-out. We spent 80 overs in the field in the first innings, we took quick wickets in the second and the batters got runs. I think it was very good, and I’m not too bothered about victories.”Harmison, who send down just three overs on the third day but priced out two key wickets, admitted he enjoyed his performance. “It was only three overs, though, and I bowled well for three in the first innings also,” he said. “I enjoyed my spell in the second innings, the last two overs of the second spell weren’t great, but the idea was to get in 4-5 overs and it only ended up being three. I was quite happy at the end of it all, though.”

Questioned as to the nature of pitches England would be faced with on the tour, Harmison said that he knew what was in the offing. “”I think all the bowlers have come with their eyes wide open knowing that the pitches in the three Tests are going to be quite flat,” he said. “The pitch in Mumbai was quite helpful, thought I’ve not seen the pitch here in Baroda, but I imagine it might have a little bit in it as well. We’ve spent six weeks in Pakistan, so we know what it will be like. I thought we bowled quite well in Pakistan, I think as a bowling group we did well. I don’t think our plan will be too different out here. I think we’re up to it.”On his own role in the side, Harmison believed that he was ready to adapt to whatever the situation threw up. He has been used as an attacking bowler, and as a stock bowler, but refused to limit himself to one or the other in the coming month. “I think I learnt in Pakistan that you bowl according to the situation,” Harmison said. “You have four or five overs of quick stuff, where you bowl as quick as you can, but then you mix it up for the 15-16 overs a day that you put in. You’ve got to be prepared to do what you need to. Four seamers, two spinners, whatever, it’s up to the situation. The quicker we adapt, the better we’ll bowl.”Harmison is a bowler who has found touring difficult and has admitted it in the past. Today, however, he said that he felt better about his role in the side, and knew what to expect. “I feel as if I’m getting better. Throughout my Test career I feel I’ve gotten better,” he said. “I won’t always bowl so well, but I try and go out and do my best. I do what the situation demands and what Vaughany requires of me. If it means containing, then I will contain and if it means going at somebody then I’ll try and bring up as much energy as I can.”He also believed that England’s preparations for the tour were on course, and that seam bowling was their obvious strength. “We’ve said for a few years now that we’ve got most bases covered,” he said. “I think out best bowling is the seam, two or three of us bowl quite lively and hit the desk, the spinners do a good job, Simon reverses it and Hoggy swings it a bit with the new ball, so we’ve got everything covered.”England are in Baroda to play their second tour match, against an Indian Board President’s XI. When questioned as to the opposition for tomorrow’s match, Harmison said it did not bother him. “I’ve not really thought about who we’re playing tomorrow. It’s about us. It’s irrelevant who we play against, about spending time at the crease, getting runs, the bowlers getting overs under their belts, and getting accustomed to the conditions. As long as I get 20 overs in and the ball gets into some kind of rhythm, it’s good. It’s the first of March that counts, and as long as I’m prepared for that, then I’m very happy.”