Harmison 'considered history' by England

If the rumours are to be believed, Steve Harmison, England's injury-prone fast bowler, might have done a little too much moaning and not enough bowling of late for the likes of England's selectors. With the England squad for the tour of the Caribbean set to be named shortly, the noises from those close to the England camp are that Harmison could well find himself in the wilderness.

Harmison missed the current series of Sri Lanka after breaking down in Bangladesh, and reports hint that the management were not overly impressed with his attitude while he was in Bangladesh. He returned home with the aim of getting himself ready for the second leg of the trip, but failed an eve-of-tour fitness test and missed out. One reporter accompanying the side said that Harmison had been "considered history ever since he failed to return".

In September he was not awarded a central contract, something of a surpise to many, but, according to insiders, a move aimed at giving him a kick up the backside. If that was the intention, it seems to have failed.

Since arriving back from Bangladesh, Harmison has shown a marked reluctance to travel from his home in Durham to the National Academy in Loughborough for ongoing treatment, something that has not gone down well with selectors or been unnoticed by the tour party.

Although Harmison is a matchwinner, he is a notoriously poor tourist with a record of returning home early. England may well prefer to take a gamble on two other players recovering from injury - Simon Jones and Andy Caddick - rather than be seen to be rewarding someone with a questionable attitude. The squad should have been named this week, but a minor operation on David Graveney has delayed the selectors' meeting for a few days.