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How Newcastle Utd helped Harmison | |
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Around the Academy: |
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England coach Duncan Fletcher also helped Steve
His performances over the past six months have made Steve Harmison one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket.
He's been picking up wickets left, right and centre for England thanks to his rapid pace, awkward bounce and pinpoint accuracy. And he's admitted his improvement in form is because of a new fitness plan.
Last winter Steve trained with Newcastle United - the football team he has supported since he was a boy - to improve his fitness. "It was more about building up my strength than anything else," Steve told the Academy. "Training with Newcastle has helped me to build the muscles I use for bowling.
"It helped me to become a stronger bowler as well as a fitter bowler." Was it daunting for Steve to be training alongside big football stars like Alan Shearer and Kieron Dyer, as well as manager Sir Bobby Robson? "No, not at all," said Steve. "They're not aliens who are different to us human beings. What they do is just a job. "Although they have a high-profile job, they're just the same as everyone else.
"Just before I left to go to the West Indies, they all wished me good luck for the tour. "They're a great bunch of lads - they all spoke to me in a good manner." All the tumbling wickets have earned Steve a reputation as a strike bowler to be respected, as well as lots of attention from the media. But the Durham star is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. "I've always been the same," he said. "I wouldn't say shy; I just keep myself to myself. "I don't like the publicity; I just want to get on with it."
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