"Lot of selfish characters playing for England" - Steve Harmison hits out at former English greats

Former England new-ball bowler Steve Harmison underlined that the national team had many selfish cricketers until the 2005 Ashes. Harmison recalled that the likes of Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, and Graham Thorpe didn't make England a team.

Hussain and Atherton are arguably among the greatest players to captain England, leading the national team in 211 Tests combined. Thorpe, meanwhile, has served the team as an assistant coach.

Speaking on SEN's road to Ashes, Harmison responded to Jason Gillespie's comments about England playing with urgency in the 2005 Ashes series. The former Durham cricketer feels there was a change in guard and culture during the series.

"The difference between that and 2003, 2001 and 1999, 1997, was in 2005 we were a team. We’d grown up as a team, we played as a team and we behaved off the field like a team. In 1997, 2001, 2003/04, you had a lot of selfish characters playing for England," he said.

"Some great cricketers, don’t get me wrong… but when you look at – and I’ve got no problem saying this – the likes of Nasser, Athers, Thorpey (Graham Thorpe), Corkey (Dominic Cork), Darren Gough, Andy Caddock, there was a group of individuals playing all together as a team where you look at 2005, we were a team," he added.

The 2005 Ashes series was one of the greatest to take place in history, with England emerging victorious by a 2-1 scoreline. Harmison finished with 17 scalps in five Tests at 32.29.

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"I noticed a big difference in the England side in the '05 Ashes" - Jason Gillespie

Jason Gillespie. (Image Credits: Getty)

Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie recalled how intensified England were during the 2005 Ashes series, headlined by Michael Vaughan marshaling his troops so effectively and the players following his lead.

"I noticed a big difference in the England side in the '05 Ashes… we’d never felt that as an Australian side before. England would normally go out in dribs or drabs going onto the field," he said.

"But this time, it was really noticeable that as soon as the umpires walked out there, Michael Vaughan was straight out there, everyone was straight out there, quick chat and then they would literally run to their fielding positions, the bowler would run and hand his cap to the umpire and before our batters were halfway onto the ground, the whole England team was set up ready to play, ready to rock,” he added.

Meanwhile, England will want to regain the urn when the Ashes begins on June 16 at Edgbaston.