There are few cricketers like Ryan Harris, who have given so much in just a short career span that they end up being spoken about in the same breath as some legends of the game.
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Harris played just 27 Tests and took 113 wickets at an impressive average of 23.52. But the effort he put in with a creaking body will be talked about for a long time. Considering his history of injuries, Harris’ decision to retire after his troubled knee ruled him out of the Ashes, is perfectly logical.
However, to be denied an opportunity to go out all guns blazing, especially after putting in a superhuman effort to get fit for the upcoming series, is a bit sad. Australia coach and his former club captain Darren Lehmann summed up Harris the best: “His never-say-die attitude was his signature as he left absolutely nothing on the field each time he played.”
Captain Michael Clarke went a step further, saying he was “as good as anyone to play for Australia”.
Nicknamed Rhino for his bulky frame, Harris had a remarkable ability to stun the opposition with his strikes just when they thought they had gained ascendancy. England batsmen bore the brunt of his swing and seam bowling as he claimed 57 wickets in 12 Tests, 46 of those coming in the last nine.
Harris’ absence is definitely a blow for the Australians as they look to lay their hands on the Urn in England for the first time in 10 years.
His knack of delivering magical deliveries to nail well-set batsmen meant Clarke always had a trump card up his sleeve.
His battle with the classy Mahela Jayawardene in Sri Lanka during the Galle Test in 2011, the dismissals of England captain Alastair Cook (Perth, 2013) and Joe Root (Chester-le-Street, 2013) and the final burst in Cape Town last year to seal victory against South Africa, were the high points of a six-year long international career.
Harris was also a stubborn lower- order batsman, who often stood tall when the chips were down.
A late entrant to international cricket at 29, Harris probably knew he had a short career and gave more than his 100 per cent. He is the kind of player who inspires the team to give their best with his lion-hearted displays.
Small wonder then the Australian selectors gambled with his fitness series after series because even a half-fit Harris was gold standard.
Harris was fighting for a place in the current side as the pace attack comprising left-armers Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc and the immensely talented Josh Hazlewood had warmed up nicely for the Ashes with telling displays in the West Indies Tests and the two tour games.
But he was still expected to make it to the final XI at some stage. In the last two Ashes, he had put injury worries behind him to turn in rousing displays and there was a lot of optimism that he would make the cut again.
But this time around, the injury was far more serious and would have kept him out of action for five months forcing Harris to advance his retirement plans.
Such is his persona that the Aussies have planned to retain him in the squad for the Ashes to mentor the bowling pack. It is a nice gesture by Cricket Australia but also a clever one as he can still provide invaluable inspiration.
While England batsmen will be happy that they will not have deal with him directly anymore, the Australians will be fired up to pay tribute to a sterling career by winning the series.