SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Chronic knee problem, left ankle fracture, hamstring strain, shoulder problem, back strain, hip pain and, most recently, a tender Achilles – Australia’s Ryan Harris has had almost as many injuries as he has played test matches in the last three years.
Such is the esteem in which the 33-year-old pace bowler is held Down Under, however, that this weekend, he will board a jet for England looking to augment his tally of 47 wickets in 12 tests and help Australia win back the Ashes.
His average of 23.63 tells part of the tale why such an apparently fragile bowler will be on the plane, as does the memory of the 6-47 he took in the second innings of the third test in Perth to help Australia to their only victory in the last Ashes series.
Harris fractured his ankle in the fourth test of that series and, he admitted, there had been moments in the long months of recuperation from various injuries since that he thought it might be his only Ashes experience.
“Absolutely, you have those negative thoughts,” he told Reuters in an interview this week.
“I’ve had plenty of injuries, I’m probably going to have another couple, but the fact is I want to be part of this set-up, this team, for as long as I can.
“There were times where I found it hard, going to the gym every day. But the fact that this series was coming up and wanting to play for Australia again was what kept me going.
“I haven’t got many years left, maybe six months, maybe three years, who knows?
“It’s such great fun playing cricket for Australia. One day all that’s going to be gone. I don’t want to be sitting there on that day thinking ‘I wish I’d stayed a bit longer’.”
