Ponting predicted success for Harris at international level a year ago

Melbourne, Feb 2 (ANI): Skipper Ricky Ponting had tipped a year ago that the latest bowling discovery Ryan Harris will excel after an eight-season first-class apprenticeship with South Australia and the Bulls

"I'm not surprised by it. When we first saw him 12 months ago everyone could see that he had great talent to bowl decent pace and swing the new ball," he said.

Harris took 3-44 in Sunday night's eventful one-day clash in Perth to secure the Man of the Series honours in Australia's 5-0 hammering of Pakistan.

Harris's determination to prove that he would be no one-hit wonder at international level spurred him to take 13 wickets at 8.15 in just three games.

"It's going to be hard to ignore what he's done isn't it - 13 wickets in three games, a pretty low economy rate and early wickets in every one of those games as well," FOX Sports quoted Ponting, as saying.

Harris is now firmly in the frame for Australia's tour of New Zealand and for another series win against Chris Gayle's West Indies outfit.

Rested players, left-armer Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Shane Watson, will return to Ponting's line-up leaving selectors with a nice, though welcome dilemma.

"Ryan's taken the first wicket in the last three games for us. So it's hard to ignore those sort of performances but once we get everyone back fit and healthy, the selectors are going to have some tough decisions to make," Ponting said. (ANI)