Harmison must learn his trade: Caddick

Andrew Caddick, the former England fast bowler, feels Steve Harmison and others in the current national set-up need to return to county cricket to "learn their trade". Harmison was recently dropped after an abject display in an embarrassing defeat at Hamilton and Caddick believed he should not have been in New Zealand in the first place.

"I don't think Steve Harmison has ever learned his trade at domestic level. I know Stuart Broad hasn't, and I don't think Chris Tremlett really has either," Caddick told the Telegraph. "I'd like to see a lot more players out there playing at a domestic level, especially at this time of year. You shouldn't have players like Steve Harmison after a losing Ashes series saying, 'I don't know what I'm doing, I'm going to wait for Mr Fletcher to tell me what I'm doing'.

"What he should have done is turned round and said, 'I had a shocker, I need to get back, get some overs under my belt, play for Durham and put my name in the hat and say I'm back and this is what I'm prepared to do to get back'. If I was honest, and it's a harsh thing to say, I wouldn't pick him against New Zealand. I'd say, 'Go away and learn your trade again'."

While Geoff Miller, England's chairman of selectors, has insisted Harmison is part of England's immediate plans for the forthcoming season, Caddick felt Harmison should focus on the County Championship which starts on Wednesday. "I would not pick Harmison for the first Test with New Zealand. He's got to sort himself out before he should be considered," he told the Sunday Mirror. "Does he want to play international cricket? If he wants to play then he has to play at a very high standard. If he's not able to do that then sorry, he must not be picked."

Harmison's has been a troubled career, especially away from home, and a back injury cut short his England summer last year. He was subsequently asked by the England management to prove his fitness and form in the South African domestic circuit and though he returned for the tour of Sri Lanka, he was dropped after the first Test against New Zealand in March.

Caddick was critical of the number of players introduced before they were prepared for the demands of the international game, and also voiced a word of caution for Andrew Flintoff. "Freddie now has to spend half a season playing for Lancashire building his strength up and bowling and batting his way back to somewhere near his best," he said. "Anybody in their right mind is desperate to get him back into the England team as soon as possible. But we must think what is best for English cricket and for Freddie long-term."

Caddick, who took 234 wickets in 62 Tests, also felt the ECB needed to follow Australia's example of properly grooming bowlers before blooding them at international level.