WEB EXCLUSIVE
March 05
Adapted by David Norrie

STEVE HARMISON has leapt to the defence of Ashes skipper Andrew Flintoff and insisted: “He was the best man for the job.”

Flintoff was heavily criticised after England’s humiliating 5-0 whitewash by Australia Down Under.

But England pace ace Harmison - who also received a huge amount of stick for his poor bowling performances - believes the players let their captain down.

Harmison declares: “We are all going to have to live with what happened in Australia - me more than most.

“What I can’t accept is the way people have piled into Fred as skipper now that the dust has settled.

“I confess I am one-eyed about him - he’s one of my best mates. But he was the best man for the job before we left for Australia, the only man for the job - and that has not changed.

“It didn’t matter who was England captain. The way we performed - or rather didn’t perform - 5-0 was almost inevitable.

“The captain’s big players did not perform for him.”

England lost the Ashes in record time - just 463 DAYS after winning them back.

And in a new book Ashes Frontline, published later this month, Harmy reveals: “In hindsight, Flintoff did have an awful lot on his plate as England captain and our top all-rounder.

“But at the time of his appointment he was the right man to be skipper. He was the best man for the job, simple as that.

“Now the tour’s over it is easy to say that perhaps too much was asked of him.

“But he handled himself superbly throughout a tour which might have seen a lesser person crack.

“He took each setback on the chin and, in some ways, even enhanced his reputation.

“I’m proud to call him a mate and I honestly don’t believe our fortunes would have been any different under another captain.

“I’ve now had time to regroup and get over the worst cricket experience of my life.

“And it might surprise some of my critics, but I want to be leading England’s bowling attack when Australia return with the Ashes in 2009.

“That’s the only way I am every going to get over the disappointment of what happened this winter.”