Moores stands by Harmison

Steve Harmison strives in vain for the breakthrough as West Indies hold firm © Getty Images

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England coach Peter Moores believes Steve Harmison’s efforts during the drawn opening npower Test will serve him well when he runs in again against West Indies at Headingley Carnegie later this week.

Hopes were high that the Durham fast bowler would shrug off his dismal Ashes form and roar back for England at Lord’s this week after a return of 24 wickets in only three LV County Championship matches.

But Harmison struggled throughout and, with fellow seamer Matthew Hoggard sidelined by a thigh strain, he claimed a solitary wicket in 36 overs.

Moores, though, believes the effort Harmison put in over the five days will enable him to produce a greater contribution during the second Test, which starts on Friday.

“He’s been bowling really well in county cricket and come to this game and put himself under pressure, but has got better as the game has gone on,” stressed Moores after his first match in charge.

“I think he’ll be so much better for having played a Test match and getting through that, so I expect him to have a chance to really enjoy himself and go out and bowl at Headingley.

“He’s in good rhythm - we’ve seen that in the championship - and I expect him to take that form into the next Test and we’ll see the best of him there.

“Having seen him as a coach for the first time in a game, I know he passionately wants to do well and bowl well for his country and we will support him as best we can so he can go and do that.”

The scoreboard tells the story as the weather wins at Lord's

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England were hopeful Harmison and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar could combine to force a win on the final day as West Indies resumed on seven without loss, chasing a fanciful victory target of 401.

But rain and bad light restricted play to just 20 overs on the final day as West Indies reached 89 without loss, although Harmison showed signs of improvement and finished with 0-21 from eight overs in the second innings.

Some critics suggested that Harmison found his best form because the weather ensured there was no pressure to perform, but Moores shrugged off that theory and insisted his main strike bowler was a big-match performer.

“If you look at the honours board in the dressing room he’s got 5-43 against Australia in probably one of the biggest pressure games he’s played,” claimed Moores.

“He can play, there’s no doubt about that. He’s a good performer and we’ll take that into the game at Headingley and keep building on that.

“Any player has good games and games where you’d have liked to have done better as batters, bowlers and keepers.

Daren Ganga keeps England at bay on an abbreviated last day

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“We had players in this Test who have had fantastic games and Steve would have liked to have had a better game, but in sport you have good days and bad days.”

The injury to Hoggard and the continued ankle problems suffered by all-rounder Andrew Flintoff have forced England to delay naming their squad for the second Test until 4pm on Tuesday.

West Indies will travel to Yorkshire with spirits far higher than they were in the build-up to Lord’s, when their only warm-up match was washed out in Taunton.

Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan admitted: “Leading into the Test match there was a lot being said about us and our preparation, but the only little concern I had was our bowling in the first session. I thought we came back really well after lunch.

“It was a matter of getting the guys in the right spirit, trying to encourage everyone to be mentally tough and to forget about all that was being said about our preparation and that we weren’t going to win and stuff like that. I didn’t want that to play on the guys’ minds.”