Holly heck: Harmi wide of the mark

Steve Harmison tentatively ran in and delivered the first ball of the series straight into Flintoff's hands at second slip for one of the widest wides seen in Test cricket.

He went for nine runs in that over and England went on to lose that Test by 277 runs and the Ashes 5-0.

Harmison has since said that he is still haunted by the delivery and is at a loss to explain how it happened. "I was obviously pumped up and nervous. Then again, I would defy any bowler not to be in that situation.

People suggested the ball must have slipped out of my sweaty hands, or I got my run-up wrong, or all manner of things,” Harmison said. Matt Hayden provides his view of what took place.

Nov 2006