Harmison has struggled with the white ball for 12 months
Steve Harmison is confident his decision to retire from one-day cricket will help prolong his Test career.
"This has been a difficult decision but I want to play at the highest level for as long as I can," he said.

"I 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 career."

Harmison, 28, has played 46 ODIs since 2002 but has struggled to replicate his better Test form in 50-over cricket.


Interview: ECB chairman of selectors David Graveney
Interview: Leicestershire's Paul Nixon

In 12 matches over the last 12 months he has taken just 17 wickets at an average of 36.58, costing almost six runs per over.

He was dropped for England's final match of the ICC Champions Trophy, against West Indies in October, after a series of injury niggles and form problems.

He has had a difficult time; he's struggled with the white ball for the last 12 months

David Graveney
Chairman of selectors

Despite his poor start to the Ashes series, though, he has rediscovered his form in Test cricket, with a return of 4-48 in the third match of the series in Perth.

But he is known to dislike opening the bowling with the white ball, which is used in one-day cricket and tends to swing more than the red version.

"This hasn't come as a shock to me. I know he's been considering if for a bit," chairman of selectors David Graveney told BBC Radio Five Live.

"He has had a difficult time. He's struggled with the white ball for the last 12 months.

Retiring from one-day internationals was a good move by Harmison

"It lessens our options but opens the door for a lot of younger bowlers to stake their claim for the [World Cup in the] West Indies."

Harmison will play a key part in the two remaining Ashes Tests, in Melbourne and Sydney, then return home as the Commonwealth Bank Series begins on 12 January.

Meanwhile, Paul Nixon hopes to raise his team-mates' flagging spirits on his first tour England's for six years.

Nixon, 36, was surprisingly called into the one-day squad, replacing Geraint Jones as the second wicket-keeper in the party, alongside Chris Read.

"Some of the guys have not performed as they would have liked to have done, so they'll maybe benefit from a bit of experience and new energy," he said.

"They haven't performed as well as they would have liked and changes have been made - and I'm thankful for that."

ENGLAND 51-2 v AUSTRALIA 244
Play resumes 0230 GMT

Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss are England's not-out batsmen

England start day two of the third Ashes Test with a rare chance of putting Australia under pressure by establishing a first innings lead.

Resuming on 51-2 in reply to the home side's 244, England batsmen will aim for a three-figure lead after Monty Panesar (5-92) impressed on day one.

Panesar said: "It was really positive getting Australia out for under 250.

"We wouldn't have wanted to lose two wickets but hopefully we can bat most of the day if not all of the day."

Andrew Strauss, 24 not out, hit two boundaries in the first over of the innings.

It's going to be a close match, but I think Brett Lee will be lethal first thing on the second day

That was a clear indication that England are not prepared to be rooted in the defensive mindset that proved their downfall on the last day in Adelaide, where they lost the second Test.

And Panesar said: "We were very positive in the two-day game in Perth and took that positive energy onto the field in the Test.

"That determination showed in how well we coped out there.

"We are going to look to be positive again, show good aggression and look to bat well."

Michael Hussey, Australia's top-scorer with a typically fluent 74 not out, believes his team have a good opportunity to take the initiative on Friday.

He said: "We need early wickets. They've got quite a long tail so if we can get into that middle order we can put them under pressure."