As England's fastest bowler Steve Harmison is crucial to England's chances in the Ashes, but he remains one of the great enigmas of the world game.
In South Africa the form which had catapulted him to world number one deserted him, and his confidence hit an all-time low. One of the reasons was his terrible homesickness that left him prone to anxiety and feelings of panic.
Back on home turf, his form for Durham, against Bangladesh, and in the one-day internationals suggested his rhythm and confidence had returned.
Harmison had begun his Test career as an erratic paceman with natural pace and bounce, but an unfortunate tendency to splay the ball down the legside.
A miraculous change occurred with the arrival of Australian bowling coach Troy Cooley, who simplified his method and mental approach.
Suddenly Harmison was a world-beater, blowing away the West Indies with 7-12 at Sabina Park in March 2004, and surging to the top of the world rankings.
His form continued in the series whitewashings of New Zealand and West Indies last summer, though there were times when he looked a bit ordinary on pitches offering little bounce.
But then on the tour to South Africa, South Africa's batsmen played his short-pitched bowling with ease and he was mysteriously incapable of pitching the ball further up. He ended the series with an almost unthinkable nine wickets at 73.22.
If Harmison plays his best against Australia they will meet a man transformed from the bowler who managed just nine wickets at 50.55 in four Tests of the 2002-03 series.
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Geoff Boycott's verdict: