Following an eventful 2006-07 during which he made his Twenty20 international debut, Shane Harwood had a quieter and less productive summer in 2007-08. A serious shoulder injury threatened to derail his domestic campaign before it had started, and a groin problem later in the season continued his awful run with injuries. He finished with 19 Pura Cup wickets at 39.31 as Victoria became less reliant on him, with other fast men like Peter Siddle and Dirk Nannes continuing to develop. He remained a dangerous one-day bowler, when fit, collecting nine FR Cup victims at 23.66 from five games.

The previous summer he claimed 26 Pura Cup wickets at 30.26 and 13 at 16.30 in the domestic one-dayers as his sharp pace and awkward bounce dried up the opposition's runs. The standout moment was undoubtedly his surprise call-up into the Australia team for their Twenty20 match against England in January 2007. There were other highlights: he claimed a career-best 6 for 51 against New South Wales at the MCG and improved his record a month later with 6 for 38 against the same team at Sydney. But four separate health problems interrupted his progress and his propensity for sustaining injuries in unusual fashion continued. He hurt a calf walking down some stairs at the MCG during a match and missed games with a side strain and two separate buttock injuries.

Two years earlier he suffered a broken hand caused by his dog dragging him off his bike, a hamstring problem during a 31-ball ING Cup half-century, a cheekbone shattered by a Kade Harvey bouncer, and finally an eye complaint. In 2005-06 his form was so impressive that Shane Warne, his Victoria team-mate, wanted him chosen for the tour of South Africa, but Harwood had to settle for 30 Pura Cup wickets at 31. He stormed on to the state scene as a 28-year-old in 2002-03 when he became only the third Australian to collect a hat-trick on first-class debut. Playing Tasmania, he knocked over Shane Watson, Graeme Cunningham and Sean Clingeleffer and was soon playing for Australia A. A fan of Rodney Hogg, the former Australia fast man, Harwood would be driving trucks if he wasn't a cricketer.
Cricinfo staff April 2008

• Western Australia surge with big Rogers century (Feb 29, 2008)
  
• Harwood added to Victoria's injury list (Jan 25, 2008)
  
• Harwood troubles struggling Tigers (Dec 10, 2007)
  
• Victoria welcome back Harwood and Nannes (Nov 29, 2007)
  
• Watson returns for Queensland (Nov 15, 2007)
  

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Jan 1, 2008 Shane Harwood © Cricket Victoria

Jan 16, 2007 Shane Harwood claimed six New South Wales batsmen © Getty Images

Jan 9, 2007 Shane Harwood thanks Cameron White for the catch that gave Harwood his first Twenty20 international wicket © Getty Images

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