GLAMORGAN rising star James Harris left England captain Andrew Strauss in no doubt of his talents at Lord’s yesterday.
Harris might have been overlooked for the England Lions selectors for this week’s match against Sri Lanka but was presented yesterday with a direct audition in front of Strauss.
On a dream opening day for Harris and the in-form Glamorgan side in the county championship clash against Middlesex, the Pontarddulais paceman took his chance finishing with a first five-wicket haul at Lord’s, including the prized scalp of the England skipper, who fell lbw for eight.
After Middlesex won the toss and batted, Harris belatedly celebrated his 21st birthday of last Monday with fantastic figures of five for 41 as his side skittled out Middlesex for 150 in just 51.4 overs with only former Glamorgan captain Jamie Dalrymple responding with a battling 44.
Matthew Mott’s men finished the day on 151 for one, a one-run lead, thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from in-form duo Gareth Rees and Will Bragg, proving there was nothing wrong with the wicket.
But Harris laid the foundations for Glamorgan’s superiority.
“It is always nice to get out the England captain and there is no better way of proving yourself,” said Harris.
“I was disappointed not to be selected for the Lions but I will take that because it is not a bad trade off.
“Any time you pick up five wickets is nice. But to do it at Lord’s is something different because this place is pretty special. It is something else and completely different to anywhere else I have played.
“It means just a little bit more and I managed to pinch the ball which was great.”
Despite touring the Caribbean with the Lions, Harris was overlooked this week for the England second string in favour of Graham Onions, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn and Ajmal Shazhad.
With the Test first-choice trio Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson, Chris Tremlett and injured duo Tim Bresnan and Chris Woakes, the Glamorgan spearhead is 10th in the pecking order.
Whether yesterday’s heroics elevates him remains to be seen because England have concerns about lack of pace. But his skills can’t be in question.
Harris made the dream start as he reduced Middlesex to 24 for three with three wickets for six runs in 10 balls.
He followed up dismissing Strauss by claiming the scalps of Chris Rogers and Scott Newman in successive balls with wicket-keeper Mark Wallace taking both catches.
Harris was taken off at the Nursery End after an opening seven-over spell of three for 18 before later snapping up the wickets of Middlesex captain Neil Dexter and John Simpson to complete the sixth five-wicket haul of his career and the second of the summer.
Harris was backed up by Graham Wagg and Will Owen, who took two wickets each. Wagg was especially impressive and claimed the wicket of Dalrymple, who was playing his first Middlesex match since quitting the Swalec Stadium last winter in acrimonious circumstances after being stripped of the captaincy by chief executive Alan Hamer and Paul Russell.
“I got five wickets this time around, but Graham Wagg and Will Owen both bowled well,” said Harris.
“Sometimes it goes for you and I managed the get the wickets.”
Glamorgan had 44 overs to bat in a mammoth final session and overcame the loss of captain Alviro Petersen for 29 with Rees and Bragg sharing a second-wicket stand of 102.
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