KP brings back Harmison

Sidebottom and Bopara miss out for final Test at the Brit Oval

Last updated: 8th August 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

KP brings back Harmison

Harmison: Returns to England team at the Brit Oval

I think it is an aggressive move, a positive move. We need to take 20 wickets in this Test - you need to take 20 in any Test - and I feel a lot more comfortable with four fast bowlers

Kevin Pietersen
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Steve Harmison and Stuart Broad have been handed recalls to England's side for the fourth Test against South Africa.

The duo return to the starting XI for the first match under new captain Kevin Pietersen, who takes charge for the first time at The Brit Oval.

Durham paceman Harmison is one of two changes from the team that was beaten in the third Test at Edgbaston, losing the series in the process and leading to former skipper Michael Vaughan resigning from his position.

The other alteration sees left-armer Ryan Sidebottom make way for his Nottinghamshire colleague Broad, who had missed out at Birmingham.

Positive move

Pietersen admitted it was an "aggressive move" not to replace Vaughan with batsman Ravi Bopara, meaning the hosts will go into the match with five frontline bowlers.

"I'm going to go with four fast bowlers and Monty (Panesar)," he said on Sky Sports News.

"I think it is an aggressive move, a positive move. We need to take 20 wickets in this Test - you need to take 20 in any Test - and I feel a lot more comfortable with four fast bowlers."

Harmison will be making his first international appearance since the first Test defeat to New Zealand in Hamilton during the winter tour.

"I like Steve and what he brings to the team," Pietersen added. "He's had his ups and downs but I have a really good relationship with Steve.

"He seems as excited as anything and he had a little bit of a bounce in his step. From what I saw this morning, the way he bowled to his mate Freddie (Andrew Flintoff) in the nets, it can only work for us hopefully.

"I like Steve in the side. Mooresy (coach Peter Moores) and I are singing from the same hymn sheet at the moment. It's all positive."

Responsibility

With Vaughan, who stood down from the captaincy at an emotional press conference on Sunday, gone Ian Bell will once again move up the order to bat at three again.

All-rounder Flintoff is moving up to his former position of number six having batted at seven in the previous two Tests against the Proteas.

"We've given responsibility to the batters to score some runs," Pietersen said on the changes to the batting order.

"Colly (Collingwood) is going to bat at five, Freddie, who I have spoken to at great lengths this morning, will bat at six, so Timmy (Ambrose) will come in and seven and Broad at eight.

"I like Broad as a player - he's positive and learns quickly. He brings us that strength in depth at the bottom of the order."