Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris, who bowled his country to a series victory in South Africa last week, is hoping knee surgery will prolong his test career through the 2015 Ashes at least.
|Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014, 10:16 AM IST|Source: Reuters
Sydney: Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris, who bowled his country to a series victory in South Africa last week, is hoping knee surgery will prolong his test career through the 2015 Ashes at least.
The 34-year-old has been plagued by injuries since his debut in 2010 but was able to put together a run of 12 consecutive tests over the last seven months to help Australia wrest back the Ashes and beat South Africa 2-1 in an away series.
Harris played through the pain to give Australia the victory on a dramatic final day of the third test against South Africa at Newlands last week before returning home for surgery.
"The 2015 Ashes and the series after that back in Australia are the goals for me if I`m bowling well enough and still in form," Harris told Melbourne`s SEN radio.
"There`s World Cup in between and I`d love to force my way back into that team as well.
"I`ve read a few little comments here and there in papers that it could be the end of me, but I`m not done yet. I`ll be back."
While noone has doubted Harris`s ability as a bowler, his injuries had restricted him to just 12 tests in three years until he got on the plane for the opening Ashes series of 2013.
He played four of five tests in that series in England, all five tests in the 5-0 triumph in the return Ashes series and all three tests against the Proteas.
Harris took 56 wickets at 21.66 in the three series but his most decisive intervention came in Cape Town last week when he removed Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in one over to clinch a 245-run victory and the series triumph.
Having delayed surgery until after the South Africa tour, Harris will finally go under the knife this week.
"It was obviously tough getting through those last two days but it`s a job you just have to do," he said.
"I can tell you now, the flight home has ruined (the knee) even more - it`s sort of locked up.
"I really hope having this done and cleaned out, it gives me a bit more time."
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.