Steve Harmison 'feels sorry' for Chris Woakes as England toil without Anderson and Broad

Former England quick Steve Harmison believes it is 'not fair' on Chris Woakes that he has been tasked with leading the attack in the West Indies after James Anderson and Stuart Broad were controversially axed.

Woakes is the most experienced seamer in England's squad and opened the bowling alongside Craig Overton in the first Test in Antigua.

However, he endured a woeful start, conceding 23 runs in his first three overs and getting withdrawn from the attack.

Without their two leading wicket takers of all-time and with Mark Wood off the field for most of day three with a shoulder problem, England's bowlers toiled as the West Indies earned a first-innings lead.

Steve Harmison has said he 'feels sorry' for England seamer Chris Woakes after he struggled to make an impact in the first Test against the West Indies (Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Despite Woakes' struggles, with the 33-year-old failing to take a wicket with either new ball, Harmison said he 'feels sorry' him.

"We can't hide from the fact that it's a very very difficult surface for the seam bowlers," Harmison told talkSPORT.

"But you've still got to find a way, bowling both sides of the wicket and ill-discipline is not something that should happen too much in international cricket. But we are all humans.

"I feel sorry for Chris Woakes, because there was a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders coming into this series for the simple fact that there was all the talk of Broad and Anderson, all the talk that Chris Woakes is going to have to lead the attack.

"Well, I don't think in Chris Woakes' red ball career he was in a position to be that person to lead the attack, I don't think that was fair on him and I think that showed."

Woakes is the most experienced seamer in the squad and has been tasked with leading the attack after the axing of Stuart Broad and James Anderson (Gareth Copley - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

Reflecting on Woakes' display on day two, Harmison added: "It's as tough as I've seen Chris Woakes have a day with the red-ball from a consistency point of view.

"He's bowled both sides of the wicket and I don't mind him bowling straight but the last couple he's been too legside and it's been an easy clip off the legs for the West Indian batsmen."

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