SYDNEY: England fast bowler Steve Harmison has announced his retirement from one-day cricket justthree months ahead of the World Cup.
The 28-year-old decided to quit after being omitted from England's 16-man squad for the upcoming triangular series with Australia and New Zealand, the last tournament before next year's World Cup in the West Indies.
Harmison, who made a disastrous start to the Ashes seriesand has struggled to regain form, said he decided to abandon the abbreviated form of the game and concentrate on tests.
"After careful consideration and having taken advice from several people who have been close to me throughout my career, I have decided to retire from one-day international cricket with immediate effect," he said in a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
"This has been a difficult decision but I want to play at the highest level for as long as I can and believe that concentrating solely on test cricket is the best way forward for me during the next phase of what will hopefully be a long England career."
The paceman ends his one-day international career with 67wickets from 46 matches at an average of 30.70.
Harmison's decision is another major blow to England's hopes of winning the World Cup for the first time after opening batsmen Marcus Trescothick walked out on the team before the first Ashes test because of a stress-related illness.
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