Cricket: Harmison Warming Up Nicely

Impressive though he had been in his first bowl of the summer, Steve Harmison was merely warming up on Saturday. Yesterday he was downright hostile and the most obvious, and certainly most unfortunate, victim was Sussex's stand-in captain Michael Yardy.

Resuming on 80 not out, the stodgy left-hander with the quirky technique - think Kim Barnett in a mirror - had grafted his way to 99 off 243 balls when he appeared to play a Harmison lifter rather well by riding the bounce skilfully to ensure no catch was proffered.

As he sauntered down the pitch at the end of the over, a century at Lord's was doubtlessly occupying his mind. That was until he removed his left glove to find his index finger was in a bit of a mess. Reluctantly, Yardy trudged off. At least he has scored a hundred here before, 179 against Middlesex in 2005, but an immediate trip to hospital confirmed a break that will put him out of action for four to six weeks.

The nightwatchman James Kirtley had been more fortunate. Harmison hit him a thunderous blow just below his right elbow - a far cry for Kirtley from the earlier pleasure of sweeping two consecutive sixes off Adil Rashid - but lengthy treatment allowed him to continue. No matter that, suitably softened up, he promptly scooped the next ball to gully, he was fit enough to bowl and later assume the captaincy armband.

Harmison bowled 10 overs unchanged from the Pavilion End yesterday morning, adding the wicket of Robin Martin-Jenkins - hooking compliantly to fine leg - to those of Kirtley and Chris Nash, caught at first slip on Saturday. More important, he bowled quicker and made the batsmen play more often than he had in his 15 decent overs on Saturday.

He had an intriguing duel with the wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who took much of the strike from him, hitting three fours in one over, the classiest undoubtedly a back-foot punch through cover with the straightest of bats.

Indeed, Prior was responsible for all 29 runs Harmison conceded yesterday in a clear demonstration that he possesses the requisite class to be considered in the mix for the apparently up-for-grabs England Test wicketkeeping spot.

His dismissal was unfortunate, edging down the leg-side, but the beneficiary, Graham Onions, deserved it. Harmison's 24-year-old Durham county colleague had comfortably outbowled the rusty Matthew Hoggard with a display of zip and aggression, claiming two other wickets - Andrew Hodd and Ollie Rayner both leg-before - with spearing yorkers in a spell of three for four from 13 balls. While rawness was still detectable - he lost focus as the tailender Chris Liddle swung merrily - it was easy to appreciate why the England management has become so excited by him recently.

So, too, Sussex about their new signing Liddle. With the MCC beginning their second innings 40 runs ahead, the nippy left-armer removed both openers - Nick Compton mishooking and Alastair Cook leg-before - with only 54 on the board. So when Alex Loudon played a poor shot - an attempted pull off Martin-Jenkins skied to mid-off - some application was required.

This was duly supplied by Owais Shah, who tucked in greedily when presented with the gentle offerings of Rayner's off-spin and Zoheb Sharif, the Cambridge UCCE student desperate to showcase his talents in search of a county after Essex released him in 2004. They put on 84, Shah passing his fifty from 116 balls before the left-handed Sharif, never totally at ease, succumbed leg-before to Rayner.

Shah's fluency, though, increased to the extent that it appeared he was eyeing a speedy late surge to a century before the close. But he ended unbeaten on 87, his side 266 ahead and, given the historically positive nature of this fixture, with every prospect of a declaration tomorrow.