Ryan Harris almost took English route

Ryan Harris, the Australia pace bowler, almost threw his lot in with English cricket before giving his career down under one final chance. It was a decision that has paid off handsomely because Harris now has a chance to play a key role in the Ashes series later this year.

Harris had aimed to take advantage of holding dual passports when he signed for Sussex at the start of the 2008 season as a Kolpak player, and started with 4 for 36 in the Champion County match at Lord's, but was given some poor advice and didn't realise that he wouldn't be able to play as a local in Australia. He knew a county career would put paid to any international ambitions and withdrew from the Sussex deal to make one final push for the baggy green.

"It was a bit of a muck up with my management, but it was something I did think of with the dual passport," he told Cricinfo. "I was quite close to doing that, it was just in the final hurdle that I thought maybe not yet. I'd still hoped to play for Australia and wanted to give it another year or two.

"If it hadn't happened then I may have made the move, but things turned around and I probably made the right decision. I got to the point where I said to my management that I'd give it another year or two then I'll look to move."

He made his ODI debut in January 2009, but the real breakthrough came in early 2010 when he secured his Test debut against New Zealand, at Wellington, having enjoyed a golden spell of one-day action. He had taken 30 scalps in 12 matches including consecutive five-wicket hauls on his recall against Pakistan.

"Before Christmas in our season I'd played two games after injury then it all happened very quickly," he said. "I've loved every minute of it. To make my Test debut was something I didn't think would happen and it's been great fun."

There is now major competition in the Australian pace ranks with Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle - the trio that made up the Ashes attack last year - absent from the current one-day tour. Harris and Doug Bollinger and currently leading the line-up, with support from Clint McKay and the uncapped Josh Hazlewood, which means a real battle for places.

Harris' ability to swing the ball at good pace has given him a strong chance of making the Ashes starting XI and he admits to letting the mind wander occasionally to the prospect of taking the new ball at his home ground, the Gabba, in Brisbane.

"It sends a tingle down the spine thinking about," he said. "If it happens then brilliant, it would unbelievable to just be part of it. It's a few months away, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it at all. We'll wait and see what happens.

"The main thing is the depth we've got. A couple of years ago people were starting to think whether we capable of replacing the likes of McGrath, Lee and Gillespie. That's a very positive thing and it is healthy competition. We are all mates and talk about what we have to do, we are all a team.

"I know I need to keep bowling well and the Ashes are a long way away, there are blokes out of the side who have done very well, so hopefully the series against Pakistan will go well for me. If they come back and I get dropped that's the way it happens, I'm not going to be too upset. I want to play, but they've proved they are good enough and I'd have to wait for the chance."