STEVE Harmison fears he has played his last game for England but he will not give up hope of earning a recall before next winter’s Ashes series in Australia.

Harmison was controversially left out of the England squad which toured South Africa at the end of last year and the 31-year-old believes the selectors are keen to bring through younger players rather than return to experienced pros.

But the Durham fast bowler, who signed a new four-year contract at the end of last season, still has international ambitions and will refuse to retire until the door has been completely shut on him.

Although England have a new-look seam attack which includes his Durham team-mate Graham Onions, Harmison knows that a successful summer on the county circuit could lead to a shock recall before what would be his fifth Ashes series.

He said: “I do want to play for England, but I think they are looking to the future now. We’ll see what happens.

“I think we’ll have a better idea of what they’re thinking halfway through the summer. I’m hoping to play for England again, I’ll never close the door fully. I’m not going to retire, not yet.

“If it became obvious they are going down the younger route and aren’t going to pick me, and I start doing really well for Durham and everyone starts talking about me coming back again, I’ll retire because it won’t be fair dragging something out.”