Lazy Ashes reporting starts early

Before the Ashes last summer, I wrote about the media campaign to have Steve Harmison returned to the side.  England nobly resisted this sentiment until the 4th Test at Headingley, and he played the final two tests, supplying a measly portion of 4 wickets amongst the usual banquet of pies.

His non-selection for the winter tour to South Africa signalled the end of his international career, with England looking to build the next generation.

Sadly, someone has forgotten to inform the hacks writing for Sky online, who have published two articles this week telling us how Harmison might, might, be selected this winter.

First there was the report on an interview in Wisden Cricketer magazine with England’s new madcap Aussie bowling coach, David Saker, which produced this priceless quote:

I’m not going to write off someone as tall as he is and someone who can really cause some damage to the Australian team.

So he’s afraid to write him off because he’s tall and, I assume, might give him a fat lip.  If I remember England’s last tour to Australia correctly, any likely damage will be to the England slip fielder’s shins rather than any Australians.

The real story here is that Sky’s reporters are so lazy that they have simply trotted out the same nonsense that they always do when one of the team officials refuses to openly slag off a discarded player.  It wouldn’t even have been a story if Saker had said:

Aww, look.  Of course Steve won’t be going to Australia.  Last time he went he made a bit of an idiot of himself and he hasn’t been much good for the last four years anyway.  Strewth, you Pommies ask the dumbest questions.

But no, instead Harmison has been “handed a lifeline” and “could be in line to tour Australia”.  It was one of those articles that you just know they have as a template, and the journo just fills in the blanks.

Not content with that, Sky then followed up with video footage of Michael Clarke obviously answering a leading question on the subject.

When Steve’s bowling well with his height, his bounce and the pace he bowls, he’s as tough as anybody that I’ve had to face in Test cricket

This scenario last occurred in 2005.  We all know that the Australians would be more than happy to see Harmison down under this winter.  He doesn’t like touring.  He gets homesick.  He doesn’t prepare well.  He bowls badly as a result.

Another common feature of the build up to an Ashes series is the Australians talking up a player who hasn’t played in a while.  Last year they did the same thing with Michael Vaughan.  They do it because they remember that it used to work every time when Ray Illingworth was in charge – Australia was England’s fifth selector in an Ashes year.

Andy Flower is many things but Ray Illingworth is not one of them.  This is why I can safely make the following foolish Ashes predictions:

Foolish Ashes Prediction #3: Steve Harmison will not be selected for the tour to Australia this winter.

Foolish Ashes Prediction #4: No English cricketer who is praised by Australia will be selected unless they are already in the squad.

It’s not at all foolish to predict that Sky, and the rest of the media, will continue to churn out this tripe for the rest of the summer.

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