Fast man lets action do the talking

Abstract

The first thing you notice on meeting England's most terrifying sporting hero is his vast hands. Steve Harmison's handshake, though, is deceptive. Gentle rather than weak, it symbolises a man keenly aware of his own power. Hence, at Lord's on Thursday, while the Bangladesh batsmen are checking their life insurance policies, the one thing they will not be expecting from Harmison is verbal abuse. "If you're six foot six and can bowl 90 miles an hour, there's not much need for sledging," he reasons matter-of-factly. "A bouncer's better."