Harris lined up for grade cricket return

Ryan Harris's chronic knee problems cut his terrific Test career short but the former Aussie speedster isn't going to let that hold him back from a return at the grade cricket level.

Harris is set to team up for the occasional match with former Queensland batsman Nathan Reardon for the Surfers Paradise senior men's team in this season's Cricket Gold Coast first grade competition.

"(Surfers Paradise captain) Chris Swan is a good mate of mine and he rang me about a month ago to see if I'd be interested in playing a game," Harris told cricket.com.au. 

"So I'm going to try to get down there for at least one game, if not a couple. 

"I've only played two T20s since I retired – a couple of Bulls Masters games – so if I can get through four or five overs, that'll be good. I won't be off too many steps, put it that way. 

"We'll see how we go, but I'm definitely keen to have a hit as well. 

"When I finished playing, I did say I wanted to play some grade cricket, but it just hasn't worked out that way; I've been too busy with other stuff."

Swan, who played with Harris for Queensland, has also roped in another former state teammate in Nathan Reardon to join the side. 

"Nathan will be playing whenever his business commitments allow but he is looking forward to getting on board," first grade captain and former Bulls player Chris Swan, who played with the pair at state level, told the Gold Coast Bulletin. 

"I've known 'Reardo' for a long time through the Bulls and we played together and won one-day premierships with each other. He has been a good mate for a long time.

"Ryan will also be playing the occasional game with us as well whenever his Cricket Australia commitments allow.

"When those blokes play it will be just a case of wheeling them out and getting some kids there so they can be around that sort of calibre of player."

Since retiring ahead of the 2015 Ashes, Harris has moved into the coaching world with Cricket Australia and is currently a high performance coach with the governing body.  

The 37-year-old was recently in Bangladesh with Australia's Test team, continuing on from trips to New Zealand and South Africa over the past 14 months, meaning he'll he to work out the time to fit a return to action into a hectic schedule. 

"It's an opportunity to help a cricket club out as well, so I just have to find a day that suits," he added, before responding to whether or not he thinks his knee will hold up to the rigours of bowling. 

"Probably not. I'm carrying a bit of extra weight these days so that's not going to make it any easier for me. 

"So I'll want to get some running and a little bit of bowling under my belt before I commit to it, but it'd be nice to help him out over the next few weeks."