Ryan Harris: Five of his best
After Ryan Harris was forced to retire we look back at some of his standout Test performances for Australia
Daniel Brettig
04-Jul-2015
Ryan Harris produced some of his best performances against England • AFP
Perth, 2010 - 3-59 and 6-47 v England
This match was remembered as Mitchell Johnson's, yet it was Harris who rushed through England in the second innings to seal victory. On a fast WACA track, his movement was impossible to adjust for, as a succession of batsmen found out. Typifying this was the fourth-stump away swinger that coaxed Paul Collingwood into edging the last ball of the penultimate day. Harris' unadulterated joy at taking that wicket was difficult to forget, and it was those sorts of memories that sustained him during his rehabilitation from the fractured foot he suffered during the next Test in Melbourne.
This match was remembered as Mitchell Johnson's, yet it was Harris who rushed through England in the second innings to seal victory. On a fast WACA track, his movement was impossible to adjust for, as a succession of batsmen found out. Typifying this was the fourth-stump away swinger that coaxed Paul Collingwood into edging the last ball of the penultimate day. Harris' unadulterated joy at taking that wicket was difficult to forget, and it was those sorts of memories that sustained him during his rehabilitation from the fractured foot he suffered during the next Test in Melbourne.
Galle, 2011 - 0-6 and 5-62 v Sri Lanka
No less a judge than Trevor Bayliss had predicted Harris would be a handful on Sri Lankan pitches, and it is worth wondering how Australia might have performed in India had he been either chosen or available for any of the three tours there that took place during his time around the national team. The Galle pitch was to be rated "poor" by the ICC, and Harris' consistency made him a constant threat. He fought a high-class duel with Mahela Jayawardene in the second innings, and the ball that burst through the former Sri Lanka captain after he had made a superb century ranked among Harris' proudest - not least because it opened the path to a rare series victory on Asian shores.
No less a judge than Trevor Bayliss had predicted Harris would be a handful on Sri Lankan pitches, and it is worth wondering how Australia might have performed in India had he been either chosen or available for any of the three tours there that took place during his time around the national team. The Galle pitch was to be rated "poor" by the ICC, and Harris' consistency made him a constant threat. He fought a high-class duel with Mahela Jayawardene in the second innings, and the ball that burst through the former Sri Lanka captain after he had made a superb century ranked among Harris' proudest - not least because it opened the path to a rare series victory on Asian shores.
Chester-le-Street, 2013 - 2-70 and 7-117 v England
Left out of the first Test at Trent Bridge, Harris produced a succession of outstanding spells in the remaining four matches, exposing flaws in England's batting that would be further exploited in the return series at home. But his most thrilling work was done during the second innings at Chester-le-Street, when he found the sort of rhythm most bowlers dream about. Few batsmen around the world are thought to have a tighter technique than Joe Root, but the fizzing, seaming delivery that angled towards middle before flicking the outside of the off stump left his blade groping helplessly. Australia would go on to lose the Test in dramatic fashion, but it was Harris who gave them a chance of winning it.
Left out of the first Test at Trent Bridge, Harris produced a succession of outstanding spells in the remaining four matches, exposing flaws in England's batting that would be further exploited in the return series at home. But his most thrilling work was done during the second innings at Chester-le-Street, when he found the sort of rhythm most bowlers dream about. Few batsmen around the world are thought to have a tighter technique than Joe Root, but the fizzing, seaming delivery that angled towards middle before flicking the outside of the off stump left his blade groping helplessly. Australia would go on to lose the Test in dramatic fashion, but it was Harris who gave them a chance of winning it.
Perth, 2013 - 3-48 and 1-73 v England
Did it hit the seam? Did it hit a crack? Did it swing after pitching? Whatever it did, the opening delivery Harris conjured for Alastair Cook in the second innings of the WACA Test was truly a collector's item. Like Shane Warne's ball to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993, this was an offering of symbolic value far beyond the fact of its taking a most important wicket in an extraordinary way. It summed up how hard Australia had worked to give themselves a chance in the series, and how wondrously all that work paid off, with a little serendipity thrown in. For the rest of his life, Harris is entitled to dine out on this ball, just as Cook is entitled to have nightmares about it.
Did it hit the seam? Did it hit a crack? Did it swing after pitching? Whatever it did, the opening delivery Harris conjured for Alastair Cook in the second innings of the WACA Test was truly a collector's item. Like Shane Warne's ball to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993, this was an offering of symbolic value far beyond the fact of its taking a most important wicket in an extraordinary way. It summed up how hard Australia had worked to give themselves a chance in the series, and how wondrously all that work paid off, with a little serendipity thrown in. For the rest of his life, Harris is entitled to dine out on this ball, just as Cook is entitled to have nightmares about it.
Cape Town, 2014 - 3-63 and 4-32 v South Africa
"You'll be sitting up in the viewing room when we're batting and he'll go 'feel this' and it'll be a little bit of bone in his knee." With this graphic description, Mitchell Johnson summed up the pain Harris was enduring by the time of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in March 2014. That he kept going only endeared him further to a group of players who had become used to Harris going the extra mile. As the shadows crept across Cape Town on the final day, it had looked as though Michael Clarke's team had nothing left to scoop the final wickets. Harris himself felt he was done for, but a final cajoling from the captain had him charging in for one last tilt at victory. Looking back at the match, it is impossible to quantify how Harris found the will to do it, but his bravery was rewarded when Dale Steyn squeezed a yorker on to his off bail, and then next ball Morne Morkel did not stretch far enough forward to cover another full delivery that clattered the stumps. In that moment, Harris felt no pain in his knees, hips or shoulders. All was elation, and all was reward. It is the best way to remember him.
"You'll be sitting up in the viewing room when we're batting and he'll go 'feel this' and it'll be a little bit of bone in his knee." With this graphic description, Mitchell Johnson summed up the pain Harris was enduring by the time of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in March 2014. That he kept going only endeared him further to a group of players who had become used to Harris going the extra mile. As the shadows crept across Cape Town on the final day, it had looked as though Michael Clarke's team had nothing left to scoop the final wickets. Harris himself felt he was done for, but a final cajoling from the captain had him charging in for one last tilt at victory. Looking back at the match, it is impossible to quantify how Harris found the will to do it, but his bravery was rewarded when Dale Steyn squeezed a yorker on to his off bail, and then next ball Morne Morkel did not stretch far enough forward to cover another full delivery that clattered the stumps. In that moment, Harris felt no pain in his knees, hips or shoulders. All was elation, and all was reward. It is the best way to remember him.
Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig