Shane Warne urged Australian selectors on Friday to pick his Victorian teammate, Shane Harwood, for this month’s Test series in South Africa. Warne said that although Michael Kasprowicz, Jason Gillespie or Shaun Tait would adequately replace Glenn McGrath — who is staying at home to support his wife through cancer treatment — he believed Harwood could also do the job.
Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker said Harwood had proved himself an expert exponent in performing on unresponsive, flat wickets in Australia, and could do the same in South Africa.
”The times we’ve been to South Africa, there have been absolute flat roads,” the master leg-spinner said. ”I bowled 70 overs in one (innings) in Cape Town, where the first Test is, which is flat. So you need flat wicket bowlers.
”That’s what Harwood is very good at. On a flat wicket, he’s bowled four games here at the Junction Oval — he’s a very, very good flat-wicket bowler. I’d be looking at the conditions that the players bowl in and that’s why I’d be leaning towards Harwood, because he plays on this sort of wicket.
”He’s used to bowling on a flat ‘road’, he’s used to trying to reverse swing, he’s used to trying to do those things. He’s got a quick bouncer and no-one has seen him.”
Kasprowicz, with 40 wickets, and Gillespie have been stars in the domestic Sheffield Shield this season, as they attempt to resurrect their international careers, while Tait is nearing his best after returning from extensive shoulder surgery.
Harwood (32) has taken 24 wickets at an average of 28,62 for Victoria this season, and averages 29,41 at the batsman-friendly Junction Oval. The selectors will consider this weekend the best fast bowler to replace McGrath.
The squad is expected to be announced early next week ahead of the first Test on March 16. — AFP
