04/19/24
February 08, 2005
Homesick Harmison's winter blues : For those who don't know who Steve Harmison is, he's a cricketer and is/was England's best bowler last year - he ripped apart New Zealand and the West Indies and became the best bowler in the world according to the stats.
People wanted him to do well on the current tour to South Africa to cement his position as number one, he seems like a genuinely nice guy. However on England's current tour of South Africa he has been nothing short of appalling.
It's always been known that he's a home body and would prefer to spend time at home rather than tour overseas but this seems to have crippled him now. It's almost painful to watch him bowl.
Is it reasonable to criticise him for giving in to home sickness? Is it a natural response to being away from home for a young father? Should he just grow up and do what he's paid (extremely well) to do?
Reading between lines you could have seen it a mile off before the tour but still it happened. Are the critics being overly harsh or has he let his team mates down?
Life is too short for someone to worry about this kind of criticism and for the most part these critics ought to look more after their own knitting. Pointing out flawed strategy and tactics, surprising errors or level of play, sure, but how a person chooses to spend their life? Nope.
posted by billsaysthis at 07:47 PM on February 08, 2005
If Harmisons tongue wasn't in his cheek, he should be applauded for his honesty. I am fed up with anodyne cobblers from sporstfolk and I don't understand why everyone is so scared of people expressing an honest opinion. The guy prefers to be at home, so what? He won't be trying less because of it.
posted by Fat Buddha at 01:49 PM on February 09, 2005
I don't think it's fair to criticise the guy. They've been touring pretty much non-stop for what, four or five months? I think it's understandable that they get homesick. You also have to take into account that a lot of them have got niggling injuries caused by playing too much cricket. The five tests against SA were played in three weeks -- that is insane. You can't blame them if they want to have a break from cricket... they've been playing all year, have a couple more one dayers left, and oh yay, the English domestic season starts in a month.