Harmison Set for Durham Comeback

Steve Harmison is set to makes his first start for Durham since returning home from the tour of India in March with a serious shin injury.

In the week when England begin their three-Test series against Sri Lanka at Lord's, Harmison will take the field against Middlesex in the Liverpool Victoria County Championship with the blessing of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Having shown no adverse effects since returning to full training with Durham, Harmison is keen to get back playing for both club and country.

"I'm really looking forward to playing," Harmison said. "The team have put in some great performances so far this season and I can't wait to contribute to what should be a pretty exciting match."

Coach Martyn Moxon added: "He's been bowling over the last week or so and just building up to playing in a game. "The good news is he's had no reaction so far, so he'll definitely play against Middlesex."

Moxon does not expect Harmison to play in Durham's C&G Trophy encounter with Lancashire on Sunday after his championship exertions, and is unsure when he may be available for international duty.

"We'll just have to take it day by day," he said. "Hopefully he will come through this match without any problems, and then we will reassess where we are. "We've got another four-day game next week, and the second Test is the week after that, so we'll just have to wait and see."

England selectors received a further boost with the news that Ashley Giles has earmarked a comeback within five weeks after finally discovering the root of his long-standing hernia injury.

Plagued by injuries since last summer and ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts at Lord's on Thursday, Giles aims to be ready for the first Test of the summer's second Test series, against Pakistan, which begins at Lord's on July 13.

"We think we have got to the bottom of my problems. It seems to be a dodgy groin," Giles said. "I've had the hip problem and the hip problem is still there. Which came first - the groin or the hip? One could have had an effect on the other. But hopefully we've got to the bottom of it and hopefully in five weeks I can start playing cricket."