After having experienced more highs and lows than most players, Steve Harmison's international career may seem to have hit a roadblock, but the Durham fast bowler is not fretting over what might have been. In a free-flowing interview with the Independent, Harmison talks about the giddy highs of spearheading two successful Ashes campaigns, the jostling for fast-bowling spots in the English side, the state of pitches in England and more.

England have an exciting group of fast bowlers, and if they can leave the most skilful of them, Jimmy Anderson, out of the one-day team, then it shows how much competition there is. I'm really pleased for Steven Finn. England need a tall hit-the-deck bowler, and Finn gives them that. He'll make mistakes, but I hope people are more patient with him than they were with me.