Harmison roars back to form

Steve Harmison © Getty Images

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Steve Harmison refused to make excuses for his under-par showing in the final Test against Pakistan after roaring back with four wickets on the third day.

Fast bowler Harmison was a shadow of his former self on Friday and only operated at 80-miles-per-hour for spells as Pakistan's batsmen piled up the runs.

Having missed four Tests earlier this year due to sore shins and experienced a niggle in his side in the victory at Old Trafford, he is now troubled by soreness in his lower back.

However, he prised out a quartet of victims on Saturday as the tourists, seeking to make the series a 2-1 defeat, were dismissed for 504.

"I just felt a bit better today," said Harmison. "Things didn't go for me yesterday and I can't really put my finger on it.

"I went on the field yesterday the same as I went onto it today but things didn't feel right at all.

"My body didn't feel right, my rhythm didn't feel right and the ball didn't come out right.

"There is something in my side/back area which is causing a bit of concern, not the same thing as before, it's something new.

"It was painful but at the end of the day I didn't bowl very well so I am not going to use it as an excuse."

Despite the lack of fire in his role as England's spearhead during periods this summer, the 27-year-old is not overly concerned in the long-term.

"It will be a worry if somebody stops picking me but as long as they are picking me it won't," Harmison said.

"I feel as though I contribute to the team, as though I do a good enough job and every team I go out and pull that jumper on I am giving it everything. "I have 20 wickets in three and a half Test matches, is that a worry?"

While Harmison is the leading wicket-taker in the series, colleague Marcus Trescothick's struggles continued when he fell for another single-figure score as England closed on 78 for one, still 253 runs in arrears.

Since hitting a hundred against Sri Lanka at Lord's in May, Trescothick whose next Test innings is scheduled to be the Ashes opener in Brisbane, has averaged 19.7.

But Harmison countered: "Marcus Trescothick has 5,500 Test runs, he's played 75 Tests for England and he's a class performer.

"That is the thing the whole country has to realise: this guy has scored runs for fun.

"He's going through a rough trot but his good spell might come in Australia.

"He's a world-class performer, one of the best opening batsmen in world cricket.

"If it had been a young lad it might have been a concern but he will bounce back and hopefully bounce back well in Australia."

Pakistan opened up a 331-run lead on first innings thanks to Faisal Iqbal's first serious contribution with the bat all series.

Prior to his unbeaten half-century, the middle-order batsman - nephew of Pakistan great Javed Miandad - had offered more words of advice for the opposition than runs.

"I have fielded at short-leg since I was a boy and I like to have a word or two," said Iqbal. "It's in my genes or something.

"I got it back when I batted, I enjoy it, and I was pleased to pay back the faith of the captain and coach."