An energetic seamer and useful lower order batsman, James Harris was an early developer as a cricketer. He was the youngest person to appear for Glamorgan 2nd XI when he turned out in 2005 at the age of 14 years and 353 days, and a month later he was the youngest to appear for Wales Minor Counties, taking 3 for 48 against Netherlands. In 2006 he signed a contract with Glamorgan despite being just 15, and in the same year captained England Under-16s. He made his debut aged just 16 and a few weeks later became the first 17-year-old to take a seven wicket haul in the Championship. He was rewarded for his promising debut season with a trip to India in late 2007 as part of the England Performance Programme squad, and was part of the England squad for the Under-19 World Cup in 2008.

Harris's early promise led to an England Lions call-up to face the Australians in 2009 and in the same season he managed 41 Championship wickets. Harris was a revelation the following season, storming to 63 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls.

That winter earned him a call-up for the England Lions tour to West Indies where he claimed 14 wickets at 30.35 and in 2011 he again performed well in county cricket with 47 wickets at 27.42 but his season was ended early by a groin injury - something Harris said was probably brought on by sending down over 1,000 first-class overs from April 2010 to September 2011.

When Harris reported to the England Performance Programme in Loughborough that winter he had not recovered. A period of rehab in Potchefstroom did not suffice either and Harris needed a double hernia operation and two injections into his groin.

He eventually returned to action in May 2012, playing for England Lions against Australia A later that summer. He was immediately back on tour with the Performance Programme in India and earned a call up to the full England squad for the T20 series.

The end of the 2012 season also saw Harris leave his home county of Glamorgan, for whom he took 204 first-class wickets, to join Middlesex, having been courted by a number of counties.
ESPNcricinfo staff