Big Dev gets stuck into the Harmless Sooky Pea Heart

Devon Malcolm, the former England fast bowler, has criticised Steve Harmison's outlook and believes he should not have an ECB central contract. Malcom attacked Harmison's attitude as being 'too comfortable', saying the fast bowler lacked the necessary drive to play for his country.

"I don't like the way Harmison speaks at certain times. You shouldn't give guys like Harmison a central contract. I'm not speaking out against central contracts per se but there are certain characters that make up a team and there are certain ways to manage them," Malcolm wrote for The Wisden Cricketer's website. "How I'm reading it at the moment, it doesn't matter to Harmison if he doesn't play against West Indies or Australia because he's still got a central contract. At the back of his mind he's an England player."

"Steve just seems a little bit fragile at the moment. The simplest little thing knocks him off line. It seems he still hasn't fully recovered from that first ball he bowled in the last Ashes series. I've never heard Steve say that was a terrible day."

According to Malcolm, Harmison should never play for England unless he had use of the new ball.

"He should have the confidence to say: 'I want that new ball. As an out-and-out fast bowler that should be my right,'" said Malcolm. "Harmison as second-change. No way! You're hiding him like that. The opposition sees the guy who is meant to be your quickest bowler is not taking the new ball and it's a psychological advantage."