Ryan Harris has almost made it. Almost got through three consecutive Tests for the first time in his career. And he has done it - or, almost done it - with style. Harris has been Australia's most effective bowler during this Investec Ashes series, having claimed 16 wickets at 21.37, one fewer than Peter Siddle, who has played one more Test. On the third day at Chester-le-Street, Harris was again the most dangerous man in the attack, his speed, accuracy and movement all troubling England.
That the hosts got away slightly through Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen and extended their lead to 202 by stumps was not the fault of Harris, who delivered a searing new-ball spell that accounted for all of England's top three batsmen. The wickets were the main prize for Harris, but the feeling of making through a third consecutive Test - and after a short three-day break, no less - was a major bonus for a man whose body has kept him to 15 Tests in three and a half years.
"I'm a little bit tired after today but I feel good," Harris said. "I've come out of it nice and strong. I feel really confident in my body. I've had a really good build-up. Unlike in the past I've gone from not bowling many overs to bowling lots of overs, whereas this time I've spent plenty of time on the Australian A tour and bowled lots and lots of overs and finished off the first-class season back in Queensland and bowled lots and lots of overs
"Because I've copped a few injuries, I guess you get sore spots here and there and you doubt whether or not it's going to be bad. Even today I had a couple of sore spots when I bowled a few balls but you ... go back and go again and if it doesn't hurt you're all right. If it does you've got a problem. You've always got doubts, but I'm starting to have less and less doubts."
Harris earned his three early wickets in different ways, his superb outswinger clipping the top of Joe Root's off stump, his accurate bouncer tempting Jonathan Trott, who gloved behind, and his wider ball surprisingly drawing Alastair Cook into a flash outside off. His aggression also nearly had the centurion Bell, who fended a sizzling bouncer off his gloves and fell back onto the ground, almost onto his stumps.
"I went around the wicket to try and muck up his feet and the one he hit me, I got it a little bit wide and a little bit full," he said. "So it was always going to be a short one - one of the next two. I got it on the money but it would have been nice if it had of flown to Usman Khawaja at short leg, that would have been better. It was one of those things where you just have to try. Once he gets in, he is hard to get out."
Bell was mostly responsible for putting England back in the driving position, for batting last on this Chester-le-Street surface will not be easy and Australia cannot afford to let the lead stretch much further. But Harris said a pursuit of 250 to 300 would be achievable and the focus had to be on claiming England's remaining five wickets as quickly as possible.
"The wicket's holding together pretty well. It might spin a little bit but the ball's going through nicely. I think it's pretty evenly poised to be honest," he said. "It's hard to say a target. But it is not breaking up as much as we probably thought. It hasn't had as much sun as it could have had. If it had of been sunny of the past three days it might have been different and dried out a little bit more. There a couple that keep low and misbehave but that's going to happen."
Harris grits his teeth
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Harris grits his teeth
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Harris grits his teeth
