LONDON (Reuters) - Grabbing a couple of wickets in Australia's first Ashes warmup against Kent was a relief for veteran paceman Ryan Harris, who has been battling to remind selectors of his quality after missing the World Cup and the West Indies tour.
Despite boasting a fine record in one-day internationals, the 35-year-old was omitted from the World Cup squad and watched his team mates sweep to their fifth trophy.
Harris then put in his bid for father-of-the-year by withdrawing from the Caribbean tour to be home for the birth of his first child, leaving his spot in Australia's crowded pace battery ripe for the taking.
Harris's reputation and record on English pitches would normally have been enough to return for the Ashes, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood's dominance in the 2-0 series win over West Indies have given selectors a headache ahead of the first test in Cardiff on July 8.
Harris's anxiety resulted in a wicketless spell against Kent on day two of the tour match, but he felt his rhythm return along with two lower-order wickets on Saturday.
"I think I tried a little bit too hard yesterday, the adrenalin," Harris said in a video posted on Cricket Australia's website (cricket.com.au). "Probably searching for some wickets which I don't usually do.
"My body itself feels really good. I don't think I've bowled many overs as well, which I haven't felt in a long, long time.
"It just shows the work that I did over the last four months is really helping me."
Harris had major surgery on his problematic right knee last year but came back to take 10 wickets in three tests against India in the home summer.
The knee still troubles the Queenslander who admits his body needs time to warm up before bowling like an old car on a winter's morning.
Harris has no appetite to be eased in, however, and hopes to play all five tests in a repeat of the 2013/14 series on home soil which Australia won 5-0.
"I'm here to play five tests, show that I'm bowling well," he said.
"If I sit on the side for all five matches and we win the Ashes, then that's the way it's got to be.
"Hopefully that's not the case but I don't like in bed awake at night thinking about it too much.
"I've done that in the past. It doesn't help."
