Steve Harmison: “I would have given him a break for the New Zealand series to get him fit and firing for the summer”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former England seamer Steve Harmison feels that pace bowler Stuart Broad and all-rounder Moeen Ali should be rested for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

Both Broad and Moeen struggled during the Ashes, which Australia won 4-0, and Harmison believes that the duo would benefit from some time off ahead of England’s packed summer at home.

Broad, who has 399 Test wickets to his name, claimed 11 scalps at an average of 47.72, but recorded the worst figures of his career, 0-142, in the third Test in Perth.

“England should persist with Broad,” Harmison told Sky Sports. “I know he’s just playing Test matches but personally I would have given him a break for the New Zealand series to get him fit and firing for the summer.

“You don’t drop Stuart Broad, you don’t drop Jimmy Anderson and you don’t drop Alastair Cook, they retire. I don’t think Broad’s ready for retirement, he’s still got so much to give.

“He’s still got another 100 Test wickets in him at least in my opinion and that’s two years of international cricket.

“All bowlers suffer a dip in confidence and need to work on technical issues, which potentially he could do between now and the New Zealand series.

“If he does that great, he goes on tour, but it wouldn’t bother me if he didn’t go. He can get back to Nottinghamshire, play four of the six first-class matches at the start of the summer and be ready to go for the first Test.”

As for Moeen, he failed to have an impact with both the bat and ball. The 30-year-old, who was hindered by a finger injury throughout the series, scored 179 runs at an average of 19.88 and picked up five wickets at an average of 115.

“It’s not because he didn’t do so well in Australia, but I wouldn’t take Ali to New Zealand. I’d give him a break,” he said on Ashes Debate. “That would then allow them to play Mason Crane and allow Moeen to recharge his batteries ahead of the English summer.

“He’s been fantastic up until the last seven or eight weeks – he’s been invaluable to this England side but he just hasn’t performed in Australia.

“It’s time to give him a break and get him back to his best for the summer.”

England’s tour of New Zealand begins with a five-match ODI series on February 25. Two Tests will then be played from March 22 to April 3.