Having recovered from a recent ankle injury, the 33 year-old former England man only has winning on his mind ahead of the Emirates Airline Twenty20 at the Dubai Sevens Complex.
County rivals Lancashire and Sussex are involved along with the MCC and a Fly Emirates XI. Durham’s opening match is a semi-final against Mike Yardy’s Sussex at 6.30am UK.
The Dynamos have landed in the Gulf, and have five scheduled days of cricket before they return home on March 29 from their pre-season tour. The first of those is a 40-over match against a Combined Universities side tomorrow.
But all attention is on the Twenty20 competition, which will involve some of the game’s household names.
If Durham win their semi, they could face the MCC in the final. Their side, captain by Mark Ramprakash, includes Indian legends Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly as well as Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait, who is warming up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League.
Durham fans will remember Tait, now a Twenty20 specialist, playing two matches as the club’s overseas player as a 21 year-old back in 2004.
Harmison said: “The lads are all looking forward to this event. We are going to be up against some tough opposition, but we intend to take the trophy home with us.”
Durham also play Sussex in 40-over and two-day contests next week before returning home ahead of a two-day friendly against Yorkshire at the Emirates ICG next weekend.