Harmison defends Flintoff captaincy

Steve Harmison has come to the defence of good friend Andrew Flintoff, whose captaincy came under criticism following the drawn first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's.

Harmison, who watched the game on television, said only dropped catches - of which there were nine - were to blame for the draw and not Flintoff's leadership. "It's amazing that people can have a go at Freddie. At the end of the day we scored 551 for six declared and made enough chances to have taken 40 wickets. It's just that we didn't take them.

"If it hadn't been so serious it would have been hilarious. I was sitting there in amazement thinking, 'this just doesn't happen to an England team'. We probably haven't dropped nine catches in nine Tests. Watching on Monday was the longest day of my life - a nightmare."

Several aspects of Flintoff's captaincy were questioned as Sri Lanka escaped with a draw not even their staunchest supporters could have imagined, including his under-utilisation of Monty Panesar's left-arm spin and the amount of overs - 50-plus - he gave himself in the second innings. Harmison, though, was having none of it. "People have been waiting to have a go at Freddie," he said. "But in the last 18 months, he has not put a foot wrong. There's only one England captain in my book and that's Andrew Flintoff."

One of the reasons Flintoff bowled so many overs of course was the absence of Harmison, who missed the Test due to a shin problem he picked up on England's recent tour to India. And he warned, after his first day back in first-class action with Durham, that he still might not be fit for next week's second Test.

Harmison didn't bowl yesterday at Trent Bridge as Nottinghamshire won the toss and put Durham in on a day when play was curtailed by rain. Harmison said, "I am not sure about the Test because I haven't bowled two days in a row and that's going to be the test. I just want to make sure my body is right to play Test cricket. After playing on Sunday (in a C&G Trophy match) I must admit I struggled to get out of bed on Monday morning. I found Sunday very tough on a cold and black day in Lancashire.

"It didn't rain but a few of the lads were praying it would because it was freezing. I must admit that I was one of them. There was a little bit of soreness but I was sore all over and not just in the parts I've had problems with. I'm going into this game a little bit stiff but hopefully I will get through it and then see where I am. I've no doubt that after this four-day game my shins will be sore, but if they are sore around the muscles I can cope with it."

If he can prove his fitness, though, Harmison is confident of his selection and an eventual re-uniting of the pace attack which has been so pivotal to England's recent success. "If I get through this game and we both feel everything is right then I'm sure they will pick me. A big, tall lad who bowls at 90mph helps the balance of the attack. Jones, Harmison, Flintoff, Hoggard is still England's best attack because you have all the angles covered."