The Ashes: Harmison Turns Up Too Late for England

Australia have not buried England in this Test match yet. They might have already done so once they had grabbed England's last six wickets for a paltry 57 in the morning session, but a quartet of careless dismissals and some handy bowling from Steve Harmison and James Anderson enabled the tourists to finish the day with some hope. Australia are 103 runs behind with six wickets remaining.

All four of the dismissed Australian batsmen squandered the chance of the major score, which would put England out of the game. Justin Langer, caught down the leg side, might consider himself unlucky in a final Test appearance that is not quite going to plan; he also dropped three catches in the English innings.

Matthew Hayden stretched and edged a poor delivery from Harmison to second slip, while Ricky Ponting, in princely form, attempted a foolhardy single to mid-on and was 12 inches adrift when Anderson's throw broke the stumps. Michael Clarke was the least culpable as his force off the back foot was undermined by the steep bounce engendered by Harmison.

So, somehow, England were still just in the game despite another late order collapse, which was witnessed at close quarters by their captain. But for Andrew Flintoff the disintegration of the England innings would have been swift and ugly. Flintoff scored 47 of the 53 runs to come from the bat in the 23.4 overs that the tourists survived on the second morning - and two of those, attributed to Chris Read, may have been incorrectly given as runs rather than leg byes.

Flintoff was close to his best, crunching boundaries through the off side with awesome power. It looked as if he wanted to remind the decision makers that he could still captain and score runs simultaneously. Flintoff was mightily impressive in his highest Test score since his century at Trent Bridge in 2005, 30 innings ago. The rest were pathetic.

Paul Collingwood should have been caught by Langer at third slip before he had added to his overnight score. No matter; he soon defended ineptly against a good ball from Glenn McGrath.

Then Read played what will probably be his penultimate Test innings. All those misgivings about his batting ability rocketed to the surface as he sparred outside his off stump at a brisk delivery from Brett Lee. It was a horrible stroke, which could haunt him for years. When England next begin a Test match - against the West Indies in May - their wicketkeeper is unlikely to be monosyllabic: no Jones, no Read. Surely not Paul Nixon. Maybe James Foster.

Next ball Sajid Mahmood fended against a well-directed bouncer and the ball lobbed to gully. At the moment, Mahmood attracts cricketing calamity like a light bulb does a moth. However he bowls, which is not that often, he does not and never will look like an England No8.

Harmison hovered for a while as Flintoff played some shots and then the England captain tried one too many and was caught behind off Stuart Clark. Monty Panesar succumbed to Shane Warne again and there was time for Freddie, in Boy's Own mode, to bowl the solitary over at the Aussies before lunch.

In fact Anderson, in his first spell, and Harmison, in his second, were England's best bowlers. Anderson found some swing, Harmison some bounce. However even when Harmison bowls well as he has done during England's last two Tests, it is infuriating. England needed him in this form in Brisbane when he was at least there in body, if not soul.

And if England are to have any chance of having an impact in the World Cup in March, they need him in the Caribbean as well. But having opted to retire from one-day cricket Harmison won't be in the West Indies in body or soul. This winter his timing could have been better.

Vic Marks is the cricket correspondent of the Observer