Harmison eyes top spot

By Jon Steer
July 22 2004

Steve Harmison will start England's first test against the West Indies today knowing a good performance could see him overtake Murali and move him to the top of the world rankings.

Murali's ranking has decreased slightly due to him pulling out of Sri Lanka's tour to Australia earlier this month. He now sits at 886 points just six ahead of Harmy.

Sri Lanka play there next test at home to South Africa at the beginning of August, in the mean time, Harmy will have the opportunity to take the top spot and from there we could see a battle for the top place throughout the rest of the summer and into the winter when Sri Lanka travel to Bangladesh and England go to South Africa.

It was Harmison's spectacular performance in the West Indies in the Spring that catapulted him up the rankings and blasted away his critics. 23 wickets in four matches in the West Indies including Lara three times and Sarwen four times turned out to be a series winning haul.

Against New Zealand earlier in the Summer Harmy showed he could do it on home soil too with 21 wickets in three test as he lived up to his billing as the most effective fast bowler in the world.

Now with the West Indies desparate for revenge he is the only bowler whose place in the team is a certainty. England have to decide whether to play Ashley Giles or go for an all seam attack, selecting from Anderson, Jones and Hoggard to line up alongside Harmy.