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Harmison quits as Vaughan returns

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SYDNEY, Australia -- England fast bowler Steve Harmison is quitting one-day international cricket just three months before the World Cup in the Caribbean.

Harmison, 28, made his sudden decision after being left out of England's 16-man squad for the upcoming triangular series with Australia and New Zealand, the last warm-up tournament before the World Cup.

England captain Michael Vaughan, who has been battling a long-term knee injury, will return to the international fold in the series after being named in the squad, subject to fitness.

With out-of-form wicketkeeper Geraint Jones left out, Leicestershire gloveman Paul Nixon is also called up as understudy for Chris Read.

England opener Marcus Trescothick, who went home from Australia ahead of the current Ashes series suffering from stress, would normally have deputized for Read as the stand-in wicketkeeper.

Harmison, so effective in England's last tour of the West Indies on pitches of uneven bounce, has suffered a string of adverse publicity after his sorry performances in the opening two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.

The Durham paceman improved in Perth with four wickets in the Australian first innings but clearly considered he had no future in the short form of the game.

"After careful consideration and having taken advice from several people who have been close to me throughout my career, I have decided to retire from one-day international cricket with immediate effect," Harmison said in a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

"This has been a difficult decision but I want to play at the highest level for as long as I can and believe that concentrating solely on Test cricket is the best way forward for me during the next phase of what will hopefully be a long England career."

Vaughan, who has been training with the England squad in Australia and playing in matches for the academy squad, is set to regain the captaincy from Andrew Flintoff for the one-day series.

"Michael Vaughan has been included in the one-day squad subject to fitness," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.

"He has made excellent progress with his recovery from injury but we feel that it would not be appropriate to announce the captaincy of the one-day side at this stage and will delay any announcement until after the Test series."

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