Harmison reflects on infamous Ashes wide

It's one of the most memorable balls bowled in Ashes history and, as cricket folklore would have it, set the tone for England's calamitous 2006-07 whitewash in Australia.

But former England paceman Steve Harmison believes too much has been made of his infamous series-opening wide to Justin Langer, insisting England's 5-0 loss had nothing to do with the wayward delivery.

In his new autobiography 'Speed Demons', which is being serialised in the Daily Mirror, Harmison says England, coming off their drought-breaking 2005 Ashes victory, never stood a chance in '06-07 against a resurgent Australia.

"That ball in Brisbane on the 2006-07 Ashes tour didn't set the tone," the towering right-armer wrote of the delivery that kissed the Gabba pitch before flying to captain Andrew Flintoff at second slip.

"We weren't good enough to beat Australia, whether that first ball of the series happened or not.

"Do I mind talking about it? No.

"Is there anything good to come out of it? No.

"Is there anything bad to come out of it? Even more no.

"Those people who say that ball set the tone for the whole series are the same as those who said I set the tone in England when I hit three batsmen on the opening morning at Lord's (in 2005) – we got beat by 239 runs."

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Harmison also opened up on the extent of his battle with depression during his playing career, revealing he contemplated suicide at the very peak of his career.

The 38-year-old, who took 226 wickets in 63 Tests, says he had gone in 2004 to see a psychologist about his 'demons' at a time when he was considered the world's best bowler. Australian spin legend Shane Warne has listed him as being one of the top 50 cricketers of all time.

Harmison - who is one of a series of England cricketing greats including the likes of opener Marcus Trescothick and allrounder Andrew Flintoff to speak about mental illness - said he suffered from depression on long tours abroad but found it pursued him even in a home series.

Image Id: 469417BBA7FA406187D3A49AA9CEF662 Image Caption: Harmison celebrates the wicket of West Indies' Sylvester Joseph in a 2004 Test // Getty

"Fast forward to the great summer of 2004, when I was number one in the rankings for the Test bowlers," he wrote.

"It was the same story - only worse. I was in no position to celebrate. I was in no state to do anything.

"England won all seven Tests but as that summer went on I could feel the brightness growing darker.

"The horrible truth was those same feelings, which had consumed me on trips abroad, were overpowering me again - and this time it had nothing to do with being away from home.

"The demons had not bothered to travel. They had come to get me at home, in the middle of a very successful English summer.

"I spoke to the England team doctor Peter Gregory and saw a psychologist. I was asked: "Have you ever considered harming yourself?" That frightened the hell out of me.

"The honest answer was "maybe". I can't say there haven't been dark times where I thought it would be easier if I wasn't here.

"It was clear I was clinically depressed and medication would be the way forward. I've been on it ever since.

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Harmison, who took 17 wickets in the extraordinary 2005 Ashes series win, is less sympathetic towards Jonathan Trott judging the language the England batsman used to describe his reason for returning early form the 2013-14 tour of Australia as not ringing true.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said at the time his premature return was due to a stress-related illness.

"When it comes to Jonathan Trott's illness, it's not that I question it, but I'd like to know deep down what the problem is," said Harmison.

"The statements he's made, the things he's said, the language he's used, makes me wonder if he just pulled the ladder up because the game got too hard.

"When he came back early from Australia after being bombarded by Mitchell Johnson and used the word "nutcase" while talking about what happened, I found that puzzling.

"Someone who has mental health problems doesn't use that terminology.

"When I saw Trott interviewed after coming home, I thought 'Wow, he's not poorly, he's weak'. He was describing someone who was mentally not very strong.

"I hope it was a mistranslation, but I have a nagging doubt Trott left the tour because he thought it was tough rather than because he was ill."

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