Former South Africa paceman Allan Donald believes England spearhead Steve Harmison can soon recapture top form.Donald is spending five weeks with the England team as a bowling consultant and joined up with the squad ahead of the third Test at Old Trafford.
He had a long talk with Harmison, who has been in erratic form this season.
"Sometimes, if something is missing in your action, it just won't click," he said. "I'm convinced as the season goes on, it won't take long to get back."
Donald is hoping that the use of technology will put Harmison back on track.
"I've asked the technical guys to put together some comparisons from when he was bowling well, right up until now," he revealed.
"I want to make it clear, I don't think he is out of form, but he is a confidence bowler, like I was, and I needed to bowl a lot to become confident."
Harmison excelled at Old Trafford last year, claiming 11 wickets in the victory over Pakistan, and a similarly quick surface is predicted there again.
"Sometimes you get to a ground and you just fancy the look of it, you fancy the end you are bowling from," Donald observed. "I watched that match against Pakistan last year and Harmy got some nasty bounce."
The 40-year-old Donald, who took 330 Test wickets in 72 matches, and also claimed 272 one-day victims in 164 internationals, insisted he would not be threatening Kevin Shine's position as bowling coach.
"All the guys probably know me but I'm not just going to jump in, I know my place and I'm going to bide my time," Donald commented.
"All I know is I'm here for five weeks and I'm going to put every ounce of energy into it, but right now I'm privileged to be here," he said.
"It's good that I'm going to spend some time with Kevin Shine but initially I am going to sit back and observe."
Harmison and Plunkett have been criticised for their wayward bowling this season, but Donald warned against expectation from fans that he can correct the faults immediately.
At this level you should understand your role in the team
Allan Donald
"It doesn't come overnight, you have to be careful about instant solutions, and having the attack you had in winning the Ashes. There is a process and everyone has to go through that.
"When I was playing I like to think I was my own analyser and that at the practice ground I knew what I was doing.
"But having Bob Woolmer around helped a lot, a coach who understood my bowling action, who was technically fantastic, and you need a mentor.
"Harmy or Liam Plunkett, whoever, all have their own mentors. At this level you should understand your role in the team.
"Some of the top players have spoken highly of Harmy, I was a rhythm bowler who sometimes took a couple of Test matches to get into the swing of things and I've no doubt he will knock a few over as the season rolls on."
Donald, meanwhile, believes England's head coach Peter Moores is well-equipped to take the team forward.
"We played club cricket together the thing the struck me was that we was a very good strategiser, a very good guy who solved problems very quickly.
"It was good to learn from him when I was a young player, he's very astute and it's no wonder he was selected to do the job," he said.
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