Cricket betting: Harmison fails to boost England

Fast bowler Steve Harmison may have been called up to the England squad with hopes of making the first Test but his inclusion has done little to stop punters piling on a Sri Lanka series win.

Harmison has been playing cricket in South Africa under the watchful eye of new England bowling coach Ottis Gibson and while both men were happy with the Durham pace bowler's fitness after hernia surgery, it appears that Harmison has some way to go before hitting top form.

He played for Highveld Lions in two first-class matches and while figures of 6-91 and 3-78 against Cape Cobras in his first match in Paarl, then 2-67 and 2-26 against the Dolphins at Potchefstroom, saw him take 13 wickets, the standard of cricket was low and Harmison's radar still seemed way off.

Recently Harmison has become more famous for his opening delivery in last year's Ashes which went straight to second slip than the fearsome bowler who topped the PWC rankings in 2004, and his accuracy was again poor in South Africa where he bowled a plethora of wides and no balls.

However after talks between Harmison, chairman of selectors David Graveney, England coach Peter Moores and Gibson, it was decided he was fit to join up with the squad for the three-Test series, which starts in Kandy on December 1.

Moores said the Durham paceman would not walk straight back into the Test side but admitted that he could play: "Steve will be in the mix with everybody else for that first Test," said the coach. "He has proved he can bowl without breaking down and that he's bowling fit, so the next question is whether he's playing well enough to play for his country."

Following his call up William Hill have seen money for Steve Harmison to be England's top wicket taker in the Sri Lankan series but despite the good news punters are only backing a Sri Lankan series victory. William Hill have cut the price of Sri Lanka winning from 10/11 to 4/5 and England are out to 5/2 to win and a drawn series is 13/5.

"Punters seem in no doubt that Sri Lanka will win the series with or without Steve Harmison," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams.

LATEST BETTING (William Hill)

Sri Lanka v England Series Betting: 4/5 Sri Lanka, 5/2 England, 13/5 Drawn Series.

England top Wicket taker: 2/1 Panesar, 7/2 Hoggard, 4/1 Anderson, 9/2 Sidebottom, 9/2 Harmison, 6/1 Broad, 8/1 Swann, 25/1 Bopara, 25/1 Collingwood.

England top runscorer: 9/4 K Pietersen, 7/2 A Cook, 9/2 M Vaughan, 9/2 I Bell, 11/2 P Collingwood, 8/1 O Shah, 20/1 P Mustard, 20/1 M Prior, 33/1 R Bopara, 33/1 G Swan, 150/1 S Broad, 150/1 R Sidebottom, 150/1 J Anderson, 250/1 M Panesar, 250/1 M Hoggard.