This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

ALEC STEWART wants to see Steve Harmison unleashed on the Australians this summer.

The former England batsman was in the island this week with Welsh rugby legend Jonathan Davies for the Guernsey launch of Clydesdale Bank, of which the pair are ambassadors.

And Stewart took time to speak to the media when he made a point of calling for the selection of the temperamental Durham fast bowler for this summer’s Ashes, provided he has a good start to the season with his county.

‘There are three key players for me – Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison,’ said Stewart about the Ashes.

‘Harmison has got a huge part to play. When he’s on song, there are not many who fancy facing him.

‘He’s got that X-factor and I hope he gets it right. I’d play him.’

Once a regular fixture, Harmison has been in and out of the England set up for the last couple years.

He has complained of homesickness on tours and his overall demeanour has led to some critics, including former England captain Michael Atherton, to question his commitment.

‘I’m great mates with Michael, but he didn’t always walk around with a smile on his face,’ said Stewart.

‘Everyone is different. He [Harmison] made it public knowledge that he didn’t like touring, but, like anybody, if it’s going well he loves it.’

England have not had a great winter, losing back-to-back Test series in India and then in West Indies.

They also had off the pitch problems that saw them lose their coach Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen resigned the captaincy, after Pietersen had looked to have Moores removed from his post.

Whereas Australia, after losing a home Test series to South Africa, beat the Proteas on their own turf.

‘Before Christmas, England were favourites [to win the Ashes],’ said Stewart.

‘I thought Australia were struggling to find their best XI, but they’ve now found a winning formula. They’ll start with their noses in front.’

In fact Stewart was quite reluctant to discuss the Ashes.

He said that there was a Test series with West Indies before the Australians step onto the field in July.

‘Let’s put the Ashes to one side, it’s all we ever talk about.’ he said.

‘Every series is just as important. I’d like to treat each series [just as importantly].

‘We concentrate too much on the Ashes and there are a lot of series in between.’

On Wednesday Andy Flower was unveiled as the new England coach.

Stewart was delighted that the former Zimbabwean batsman had taken the job full time.

The former assistant coach had been doing the role on a temporary basis since the Pietersen-Moores furore in January.

‘It was the worst kept secret in cricket,’ said Stewart of Flower’s appointment.

‘I’m a fan of Andy’s. He was a great batsman, he’s a solid individual and he doesn’t suffer fools.

‘I wish him the best of luck. It’s a tough job but it’s a great job.’

Stewart has been a pundit for Sky Sports during the recent England Test series in West Indies.

Davies also has been a regular fixture on our TV screens lately, working for the BBC during this year’s Six Nations Championship.

It turned out to be a disappointment for his beloved Wales, who as defending champions ended up finishing fourth having lost to France and then Ireland in a dramatic final match that the Irish needed to win for the Grand Slam.

‘I thought Wales were the favourites,’ he said.

‘Had they beaten Ireland, they would have come second, but they ended up fourth on points difference. Wales started well and faded, while England were the opposite and France were hit and miss.

‘Ireland were the most consistent and they deserved to win.’

British & Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan will be naming his squad for the summer tour to South Africa next week.

And Davies sees the captaincy as a two-horse race between Irish pair Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll.

The lock and centre were instrumental in their country claiming their first Grand Slam in more than 60 years.

‘There are two stand out choices for me – O’Driscoll and O’Connell,’ said Davies.

‘They are the only two guaranteed their places in the side and you can’t go into a Lions tour without your captain being a first team pick.’

Davies is a rare commodity in that he enjoyed a successful playing career in both rugby union and rugby league.

The Welshman started in union in the days when it was an amateur sport but switched to league to become a professional.

Later in his career he returned to union.

What would he play now if he started his career tomorrow?

‘I was lucky to play both sports and I thoroughly enjoyed both,’ he said.

‘But coming from where I do, I would have to choose union, but these days there would be no need for me to go league.’

Davies clearly has no regrets about his playing days and this is something that Stewart shares as well.

Since he retired six years ago, cricket has moved on with Twenty20 cricket and the megabucks to be earned in the Indian Premier League.

Also Australia are clearly not the force they were when he had to face them in the 1990s and the early years of this decade.

‘I thoroughly enjoyed my 20 years playing,’ he said.

‘I didn’t win the Ashes – that’s a low point – but I can look back and say that I played against some of the greatest players around at the time.

‘I would have loved to have won the World Cup but that wasn’t to be.

‘I’ve been gone six years and it would have been lovely to have played in the IPL. It’s a great tournament.

‘But I always enjoyed a challenge and that’s why I played cricket.’Stewart and Davies visit: England cricket star and Welsh rugby legend drop in to Guernsey

Article posted on 17th April, 2009 - 2.29pm