It's been an amazing year for Steve Harmison, reaffirming his position in the England squad, taking numerous test wickets and earning the accolade as the world's top ranked test bowler. He has also hit the headlines, with his refusal to join the England tour of Zimbabwe. The Ashington Express took time out to talk exclusively to Martin Emmerson ahead of his departure to South Africa.
 | | Martin Emmerson and Steve Harmison |
And he answered some of the hundreds of questions sent in to the BBC Wear website. If you missed this exclusive interview, don't worry, you can enjoy it all over again here on BBC Wear. Just click on the link on the right hand side. Your questions: Ernest Harrison
Hi Steve,
I am a member of the World A-Team cricket forum, and you get discussed quite a bit.
Which series do you think will be the hardest from a personal point of view, South Africa on their patch?, or the Australians at home next year?. And do you think that yourself and Andrew Flintoff are the best opening attack in the world today, for the record I think so. James Atkinson, Sheffield
Hi Steve
Not really a critism as such, but you seem to bowl too short in your opening spell with the new ball then settle down after a few overs, where you seem to have much better rhythem. Is this nerves, grip problems or would you rather come in as first change ? Malk (Avid biker and Cricket fan)
Hi Steve, so what’s your problem with motorbikes then? (I read in a profile of you that they are a pet hate).
Cheers, and keep up the good work! Hallam Riggs, Tavistock, Devon
As a man who has given his all to the sport he loves, and worked hard to become the World's Number 1 Bowler, I must ask, Who eats all the Pies in the dressing room? Mary, Somerset
What were you like at school?Were you really clever?
Is it true that your best mate in the england team is freddie?Do you ever meet up with him or anyone else in the team between tours
PS: You're amazing! Do the business for us in south africa!! Tom Marsh
Steve you've already proven over the past year that you are without doubt the best fast bowler in the world. However there was nothing i enjoyed more than watching you take apart the New Zealand and Windies attacks with some lofty sixes over mid off. Do you think you will ever push Freddie to number one all rounder in the world and is a step up the batting card in order. Also the barmy army will positively love it if you reverse sweep Warney to win back the ashes. Is this our best chance of beating them in the past 10 years? Mark Kidger,Tenerife
Steve:I was listening to the commentary on the last day of the 4th Test in Australia in the last Ashes series when you and Andy Caddick tore in at the Australians, who needed only 90-odd to win and really gave them some nasty moments - had a catch not been dropped they may even have struggled to make it. That was when I realised that you could be a real fast bowling force. Was that a turning point for you and your self-confidence? Or was it some other moment? Edward Fuller
Steve
I firmly agree with your decision not to tour Zimbabwe - no country in which genocide is taking place deserves to play against democratic countries - but why do you think the rest of the squad were either forced into going or did not take the same stance as yourself? Shane age 9 from Ipswich
Hello Steve, In the ICC Final your last over had to off been the faster over you bowled all year with I know you was giving everything and after a long season I thought it was a sublime effort. How fast do you think you can bowl? Is there a 100 MPH on the way? And do you think it was a big mistake not letting Giles bowl in the final after the year he had? Anon
steve, congratulations on a great summer. my question to you is what has been the main contributing factor to your improved accuracy and consistent line and length? Jill Waiton
Hi, I’m from North Yorkshire but I’m at school in Somerset so sadly I won’t get to listen to the show (Oh yes you can! The Harmison interview will be streamed live on this web site, and will also be archived as a 'Listen Again' feature). However, I’d be delighted to discover what Steve’s favourite cheese is. It’s something that interests me, and coming from the North East, the home of so many cheeses, it’s a topical question. Aside from that, Steve’s becoming a top, top bowler and there’s a real excitement in the game when he comes on. Particularly when batting! I know he and Hoggy will get their test fifties one day. If Glenn McGrath can do it… Yash
How tall are you, Steve? Maurice Campbell, Guildford NSW, Australia
Given that South Africa and England have a similar structure teams, what are you expecting to happen? Are you expecting the South African pitches to be prepared for batting highways?. Which South African test batsman are you targeting? Will Giles be the difference in the teams as South Africa lack a decent spinner that can bowl opposition teams out? What are the English players learning from the South African tour in India? England's scoring rate per oval has increased ahead of Australia, is Andrew Flintoff the only reason? Adrian Farouk
How many Australian batsmen are you going to get out in the ashes next year? Roger Trevelyan
Dear Steve, You have bowled to both Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. Who do you regard as the best and why? Also which one does the England team rate more highly? Anon
wat do u think is the most important thing for a fast bowler? Tom
Steve, What is your favourite breed of big cat? Andrew Roberts, Manchester
If you could be an animal for the day which one would you choose and why? Pete Roberts
Hi Steve, The winter tour to South Africa is almost upon us and as an Englishman living in Cape Town I can't wait!! My question concerns the number of back to back tests and how will you cope with it's intensity. Will you bowl shorter
spells than you did through the summer , or do you feel sufficiently rested to really run in through the entire series? Best of luck to you and the lads and congratulations on a fantastic
year! Tony
Steve, I just want to start off by saying congrats on the fantastic year. I think you have put in the hard hours and now fully deserve your place at the top of the rankings, but why do you have that silly growth on your chin? Also I would like to know which batsman you would really like to crack on the helmet the most? Robert
Steve, I know that Simon Brown was something of a role model/mentor for you in the early days at Durham. What does it feel like to know that you are now the same sort of role model for young fast bowlers country (even world) wide, and who if any of the youngsters at Durham and elsewhere do you think are the best prospects for the future. Also thanks for taking a stand over Zimbabwe. Preejith Pachat, Dubai
Hi Steve, according to you what make the Australians the best team in the world and what plans you have against the formidable Aussie batting line up? Kaz Hollinshead, Brixham, Devon.
1. If any of your daughters ever wanted to become a professional sports person, what advice would you give them? If any! 2. Would you ever like to be the England captain? Murali Sivakolunthu
What would you say is the most important part of your bowling which has made a huge difference this year in you taking many wickets? Sharaz Akhbar, Toronto Canada
First of all Congrats on all the success Steve.
As being my favourite bowler at present i would like to know:
What are your personal aspirations as a cricketer and secondly how would you like to be remembered when the day comes that you do decide to hang up those bowling shoes? Toby
Why did you not buy your Great Uncle Tom a pint in the Beddington Terrriers Football Club Saturday Afternoon ???? Wanting to wish you all the best for your up and coming tour of South Africa and congratulations for a superb year !!! Gagan Kumar
Hey Steve, you are really harmful, closely followed your progress, really liked how to have risen to be best bowler of England and one for best of current lot. Have a common enemy OZ, get ready beat them in coming Ashes. You can do it . Shankar Manikantan, New Jersey, USA
What is your answer / reaction to Glenn McGrath's prediction for the Ashes, He said "My prediction? 3-0" Michael Atkinson, USA (formerly Durham)
Steve, how do you rate Simon Jones? Do you hope to have him as your new-ball partner for England? The two of you could be our fastest opening pair in many years, and maybe our best chance of getting the Ashes back. What are your thoughts on that? Duncan Sagar
First of all congratulations on a wonderful year, it's been a joy to watch as an England cricket supporter. I just wanted to ask whether there was a time when you questioned your ability to get as good as you have become. I remember after that warm-up game in Australia and the injury on the tour of Bangladesh you took some pretty harsh and unwarrented criticism- did any of it change your approach to the game? Thanks and good luck for the South Africa tour! tommy, whitley bay
you have played against some very very good players but in your eyes who is the best batsman,bowler wicketkeeper and fielder you have seen many thanks LIAM in York
Steve your a gr8 player ma8 and congratulations on your sucessful career but my question is 1. How does cricket overlook the other sports for you? 2. How did your career begin? S.Barman, Kolkata,India
Steve, is height the sole requirement for becoming a good fast bowler? Whom do you admire the most amongst your contemporaries? Sameer Jafri
congratulations on a fantastic year. hope u will have many more years like this.
my questions are:
1) how it was bowling with shoaib akhtar for durham? did he give you any tips
on your bowling?
2) you plays so much cricket. how difficult is it for a fast bowler to maintain his rythym as well as fitness? Andy Williamson,
I'm sorry but when you first appeared on the England scene, I thought that you obviously had the inherent talent but were too wayward to ever realise. You have to realise that my lack of faith was based on the previous hoards of underacheiving England fast bowlers, and not a specific enditement of yourself. Luckily for us and yourself England have recognised that county bowlers need at least a couple of years of nurturing to become a world class bowler. What I would really like to ask is what would your ideal opening partnership for England be like. By that I mean what qualities would you ideally like to see in an opening partner. I personally believe that in test cricket you should have 2 tall fast bowlers opening the bowling, (6'5" - 6'8"). Tall fast bowlers that get lift, present an imense problem to batsmen when they have the new ball in their hands, especially when they operate together. I think it would be a massive psychological edge to England, if they could find Steve Harmison #2, to fulfill this ideal. Are there any candidates in the counties who could fit this bill. I can back up my beliefs by refering you to the great Windies opening partnerships. Corkery
when you were younger, around the age of 14/15, how fast were you bowling and to what sucess with your acuuracy? John Traynor
When you withdrew from the tour of Zimbabwe did you already know that the ECB were going to offer you the chance to miss the tour to take a rest? If you did know then by withdrawing were you not (ab)using your position as a well-known sport's personality to make a political statement? Paul Talbot
Just how highly does Steve rate the current England team in the world rankings ? Myles Stevens, SW London
In terms of bowling conditions, what is your favourite place to tour? Emma,
Well done on your fantastic year!! 3 quick questions:
1) Your rise to the top of the of the world seemed to coincide with Vaughan taking the captaincy. Has your success happened just because you've matured naturally as cricketer over the last 12 months or do you think the skipper has had a large influence on your game?
2) What type of fitness work/preparation are you doing for South Africa?
3) What's your favourite ever song? Krish Seshasayee, Glasgow
Steve,
I have admired the way you have managed to progress and become a super fast bowler. Now, please tell me,
1. What do you think is the best way to get at top batsmen like Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Steven Fleming etc. Would you constantly bowl just outside the off-stump or would you keep attacking them with bouncers?
2. Is it your ambition to get more wickets than Glen McGrath of Australia? Thanks, Regards and all the bests for your SA tour. John Aked
Steve, after the final day of the Brisbane test i remember meeting you and most of the touring party in somewhat of an inebriated state. We offered our tour nickname for Robert 'Chubb' Key. I was wondering if anyone took up this moniker for the chubbmeister after the chance evening in the Regatta hotel? Nadeem Farooq, Toronto, Canada
Hey Steve, first of all Congratulation and well done for a great summer. My question is for you, Which bowler inspires you most and which batsmen keep you up at night. Nick Hayes, London
(i) Which batsman do you find it most difficult to bowl to and why? (ii) Will we be seeing any more reverse sweeps from you in South Africa this winter? Michael, London
Do you think you will beat Beefy's test wickets record (374 I think)? If yes, how quickly and at what cost? Alex in Bridgnorth, Shropshire
When you first started playing, you seemed a bit wayward and was not that effective. How did you go about rectifying that to such a great extent, and how much did the training with Newcastle help with this?
ps. Good luck for the year ahead, and I hope you and the whole team do well in the ashes next year, and return them to where they belong! Andrew McTernan, Newcastle upon Tyne
As a Newcastle Utd season ticket holder and a massive cricket fan I'd just like to say it's brilliant that your in the England team and now world no1 congrats. My question is, does the Barmy Army atmosphere on away tours help and inspire the lads on the pitch? And if so when can you remember it the most? Good luck in South Africa and I'll see you there!! Ben Wynne-Davies, University Of Sheffield
As a University side we are touring the island of Barbados in early summer. After your phenomenal success out in the West Indies I was wandering if there is any advice you could give us that could exploit the conditions out there. P.S. and any advice on the drinking holes?! Keith
Hey Steve, first of all well done for a great summer. How do you feel England's chances are against Austrailia. and how do you think England will do in South Africa? Graeme Edgar
Looking back at your first Ashes tour, with the problems you had with wides and your run up, what has changed the most in your mental approach to bowling? Matt, London
What's it like being good friends with Keysey and what do you find to be his most annoying habit? Nick Dann, London
What would your advice be to an up and coming player who really wants to make it as a pro? Nadim Ahmed, Glasgow
Hi Steve. Congratulations on a great year for yourself, and hope you have a great year to follow. My question for you is that, you seemed to improve as a bowler better last year with speed, and line & length that you bowled when Shoaib Akhtar was at Durham. Did he help you at by all hinting to you where to bowl etc. and inspire you to such feats, such as the speed of deliveries and line and length and also how to approach matches or was it just a matter of playing with him a couple of times which helped you to become a World Class Player. Tom Smith
Hi Steve, congratulations on fantastic injury free year and a half and well done on silencing your critics especially after your last tour in Australia in 2002. i have every sympathy with you over your difficult decision not to tour, i think you made the right one but feel that you should never have had to make that decision. My question is in 2 parts; (1) How can Zimbabwe be allowed to play one-day games when banned from the
test arena, and (2) How do you react to comments from England and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan that when the ICC allow Zimbabwe back on the test scene England will play them? If the political situation remains the same or even worsens will you tour or play them here and how many of the current team will join your current stance? Hannah, Liverpool
Hi Steve. If Newcastle United offered you the chance to play for them professionally would you take it or stay with the cricket? Phil Warson, Oxfordshire
Despite his faultless glovework throughout the winter, Chris Read was dropped at the end of the Caribbean tour. Geraint Jones, his replacement, doesn't seem in the same class as Read. How do you feel as a fast bowler not having the better wicket-keeper taking your deliveries? Faraz, USA
Hi Steve ! Its been great year for you ... I want to ask which bowler and batsmen you like the most. Robbie Green, London
First of all Steve congrats on an amazing 2004! I read somewhere that your younger brother is coming through the ranks this year. What kind of a bowler is he? and have you spent much time over the years helping him with things like fitness & technique. p.s good luck for 2005 Stephen Weiner, London
Does the label of the world's leading fast bowler help or hinder Steve's bowling? | 
