RYAN HARRIS admits his Test career will be over if he sustains one more injury, knowing time is against his ageing body as Australia begins blooding new fast bowling talent.
The 32-year-old is still hopeful of being available for the Boxing Day Test against India but won't line up for the Brisbane Heat in Friday night's Big Bash League opener against the Sydney Sixers at the SCG.
Harris is recovering from a hip injury picked up during Australia's first Test against South Africa in Cape Town last month and is instead considering making a return at grade cricket level in Brisbane this weekend before lining up for the Heat in the Twenty20 competition next Tuesday.
The strong Queensland quick established himself as Australia's leading paceman since making a belated Test debut against New Zealand last year, and in eight Tests has taken 35 wickets at an outstanding average of 21.37. His issue has been remaining fit for continued periods of time. The latest ailment follows a late-blooming career interrupted by a chronic knee complaint. Various other injuries have repeatedly stood in the way of him playing back-to-back Tests since his breakthrough at the top level.
''Probably one more and I'm done I reckon,'' Harris said yesterday as he bowled in the nets in Brisbane. ''I haven't been told that officially but in my mind [I'm] 32. Test cricket is something I love playing but you've got to be playing back-to-back Tests and three and four Tests in a row, not just one and then missing one.
''I'm sort of a bit scared of that to be honest. I don't want to give up playing Test cricket. I don't know why my body's going like it is, I feel as though working in the gym, I've got it as strong as ever and it keeps letting me down.''
Harris broke a bone in his left ankle during the third Test against England at the MCG last summer, requiring surgery that sidelined him for six months. After returning to star in Australia's first two Tests in Sri Lanka in September he was an absentee from the third due to a hamstring strain.
He came back into the line-up in Cape Town but broke down once again and has not played since. While he has been sidelined three young Australian pacemen - Patrick Cummins, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc - have made Test debuts. While Cummins himself suffered a heel injury that will keep him out of the four-Test series against India, 21-year-old Pattinson made a stunning impression over two Tests against New Zealand, with repeat five-wicket innings hauls. Starc, also 21, is looming as a capable long-term option for left-armer Mitchell Johnson, who is sitting out until midway through next year after an operation on his foot.
Harris's availability for the first Test against India at the MCG would force selectors to ponder relegating Starc or perhaps even Peter Siddle, despite the no-nonsense Victorian having led a young attack strongly against New Zealand. Harris says he will not play, however, if he has not fully recovered.
''They just want me to be get fit basically, obviously not assuring me of a game but they want me available for selection and Boxing Day was mentioned so it'd be nice to be fit and raring to go,'' he said. ''I feel as though I'm bowling really well.''
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