Harris looking forward to Boxing Day Test, says knee injury is history

PERTH - Dismissing concerns about his knee injury, Queensland fast bowler Ryan Harris, who claimed nine wickets in the third Ashes Test against England in Perth, has said that he is looking to replicate his Ashes form in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Harris was ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane when his knee swelled up, having taken a nine-wicket harvest for Queensland against Tasmania, but he has been Australia’s most consistent bowler against England in Adelaide and Perth.

“An Ashes Test at the beginning of the year was something I was very hungry for, but wasn’t sure if it was going to come. I wasn’t sure if my knee was going to hold up but this has been a dream come true,” Fox Sports quoted Harris, who took a career-best 6-47, as saying.

He added: “It really swelled after the first four-day game and I thought I might struggle but I am looking after it well, it’s good.”

Synvisc gel injections into Harris’s right knee, which is devoid of cartilage, have bought the 31-year-old time in a late-blooming career.

The revolutionary treatment helped him knock over James Anderson (3), Ian Bell (16), Matt Prior (10) and Steve Finn (2) in a 50-minute assault as England folded on day four of the third Test.

Harris’s consistency is winning rave reviews from Ricky Ponting.

“He hasn’t put a foot wrong in any game he has played at international level so far,” said Ponting of Harris, who now has 20 wickets at 19 in four Tests.

“It was great to see him get some reward, he has toiled away really hard all week and certainly did in Adelaide as well - he was the pick of our bowlers down there, but no one really got reward for the work they put in there.

“To take those wickets and contribute to such a great team performance is great for him,” Ponting said. (ANI)