I could've played for England: Aussie Ryan Harris

Ryan Harris ripped the heart out of England's top order on Thursday with three valuable wickets, including two in five balls, to keep Australia in contention for a crucial victory in the battle to regain the Ashes.

Aus' Ryan Harris celebrates an England wicket yesterday. Pic/AFP.

The 33-year-old dismissed Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen and then returned to make another important breakthrough when he tempted Jonathan Trott into a rash stroke. After England finished the day wobbling at 289-7, Harris admitted he could just as easily have been wearing England's colours instead of the famous baggy green Australian cap.

Sydney-born Harris has a British passport because his father was born in Leicester and, while playing for English county Sussex in 2008, he had considered committing himself to his dad's country of birth.

But Queensland, impressed by his form for Sussex, moved in to sign him on condition he committed himself to Australia.

Speaking in the England and Wales Cricket Board offices after play closed on Thursday, he said: "Last time I was in this building I had a meeting with (former England captain) Mike Gatting about that passport.

"I travelled here to play a little bit, and having an English passport made it a bit easier. But dad moved over to Australia when he was 10 or 11, so he was brought up an Aussie and brought me and my brother up as Aussies. It was a messy situation. I had a really good offer for Queensland that came through at the time, and that's where I thought I might have one last crack at trying to play for Australia. Obviously, it was the right move."