The 29-year-old Durham fast bowler may have thought he was in the running for a recall as a replacement for rival Matthew Hoggard, who suffered a broken left thumb after being accidentally hit by Harmison batting for Yorkshire last week.

But despite an impressive record at Old Trafford - the last five-wicket haul of his 56-Test career was at the ground as part of a match haul of 11 wickets against Pakistan two years ago - Harmison was overlooked with England instead calling up Hampshire's Chris Tremlett.

It would have come as a major blow to Harmison's hopes, but coach Moores insisted that he remains in their thoughts once he has recovered his best form playing for Durham.

"Steve has got a good record at Old Trafford, he's a mature performer so he's always going to be talked about," conceded Moores.

"I think we feel that at the moment he needs time in county cricket to bowl and get himself ready to come back. I've heard he's been bowling okay, but maybe not fully hitting his straps as best he can.

"When he got left out in New Zealand he was very disappointed, but I also think realistically he knew he wasn't bowling as well as he could bowl and since then he's gone away and decided what he wants to do about it and you start to get a plan together to get back to playing the best cricket you can."

Harmison is not alone in waiting for his chance to impress with England expected to name an unchanged line-up for the second Test, leaving Tremlett surplus to requirements for the starting line-up.

Having drawn the opening Test at Lord's, England will be keen to make any advantage count at Old Trafford where they expect Ryan Sidebottom, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad to exploit the bounce before Monty Panesar comes into the equation later in the game.

"All we've heard so far is that it will be hard and bouncy a bit like the pitch against West Indies last year," added Moores.

"I'll be really happy if it's the same sort of wicket because it brings everyone into the game."

Yusuf Pathan fired Rajasthan Royals into the Indian Premier League semi-finals with an unbeaten 48 off 18 balls to fuel a six-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders.