Harmison loan switch under threat

Harmison is set to make his Yorkshire debut in tomorrow’s County Championship game against Hampshire at Southampton.

But Yorkshire say the former England man could be recalled by parent club Durham if county team-mate Onions is selected on Sunday in the England squad to face South Africa for the first Test at The Oval on July 19.

With the second Test starting at Headingley Carnegie on August 2, it means Harmison might not play for Yorkshire beyond this week if Onions retains his international place.

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, said: “Potentially, it could be a very short loan period if Graham Onions is picked in the Test squad.

“It’s a possibility that if Onions gets picked that Durham will want to have Harmy back.

“So, although we’ve signed him for a month, it might not be a month. The situation is out of our hands and we can only wait and see.”

Onions, 29, played in England’s last Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston.

It was his first Test appearance for nearly two-and-a-half years after England chose to rest James Anderson and Stuart Broad with the series already won.

Onions was statistically England’s best bowler with 4-88 from 29.3 overs in a rain-ruined draw in which both teams only had one innings.

It remains to be seen whether he will be part of England’s plans with Anderson and Broad now set to return, and with Steven Finn having impressed during the one-day series against Australia.

If Onions is not in the squad for the first or second Tests, Harmison should be available for four back-to-back Championship away games that could have a significant bearing on Yorkshire’s promotion hopes.

After this week’s match at the Ageas Bowl, Yorkshire play Derbyshire at Chesterfield (July 18-21), Leicestershire at Grace Road (July 27-30) and Northamptonshire at Wantage Road (August 1-4).

Yorkshire signed Harmison as cover for former England left-arm bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who could potentially miss all those games with a calf injury, and Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who is on Australia A duty but could return for the Leicestershire match.

Yorkshire had tried to sign a locum overseas player but their efforts fell through.

“Harmy is very keen to come and play for us,” added Moxon. “He’s disappointed he’s not in the Durham team and the bottom line is he wants to play first-team cricket.

“I think we’re getting him at a good time. With Ryan and Mitchell missing, we felt we needed that bit of a spearhead.”

Harmison has made three Championship appearances for Durham this year, taking six wickets at 38.16.

The 33-year-old, who previously played under Moxon at Durham, is keen to get cracking in a White Rose shirt.

“It’s been a frustrating first half of the season and I don’t want to be playing second team cricket,” he said.

“I’m pleased that I can be helpful to Yorkshire at this point, when they are struggling with their senior bowlers, and I’m looking forward to my first game.”

The uncertainty surrounding Harmison’s availability highlights the intense difficulty in signing loan/overseas players in the current climate.

Yorkshire have recruited shrewdly this year, with first-team coach Jason Gillespie having spotted the potential of Starc and also David Miller, the South African batsman whom the club snapped up as a Twenty20 specialist.

Starc is the country’s leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 with 18 at 10.77, and Miller helped win the Durham away game and the Lancashire home match with coruscating half-centuries.

Both will be available for the quarter-final against Worcestershire at Headingley Carnegie, which has been confirmed for Wednesday, July 25 with a 4.15pm start, but only Miller, at this stage, would be guaranteed to play in ‘Finals Day’ at Cardiff on August 25, with Starc’s availability down to Cricket Australia.

Yorkshire have also confirmed that Harmison would not be available for the quarter-final tie.

Phil Jaques will lead the side this week as they return to Championship duty following the Twenty20 break, with captain Andrew Gale still out with a hip injury.

Azeem Rafiq, the 21-year-old off-spinner, deputised as captain in Twenty20 and Gillespie clarified the reason for the change.

“Azeem had some wonderful experience captaining the T20 side but he’s only just got his spot in the Championship and has a lot of responsibilities as it is,” said Gillespie.

“He’s a young man and I’m sure he could do it and do it very well, but we just feel that, in the best interests of Azeem and the club, we should just let him play.

“He could be a big player for us in the second half of the season and he’ll be helping out the captain anyway, because he’s that type of character.

“We just feel that Phil, as a senior pro with a lot of captaincy experience, will be very good in that role.”

Jonny Bairstow will play after England deemed him surplus to requirements for today’s fifth and final one-day international against Australia at Old Trafford.

Yorkshire (from): Lyth, Root, Jaques (capt), McGrath, Ballance, Bairstow, Pyrah, Rafiq, Patterson, Harmison, Ashraf, Rashid, Brophy.