Glenn McGrath says rival spearhead Steve Harmison faces a huge fight to overcome the mental scars and technical gremlins threatening his Ashes campaign.

England's strike weapon started day two of the opening Test as bad as day one, prompting commentators to label his situation "sad" as he finished with 1-123 from 30 overs.

Like his horror first ball on Thursday, Harmison produced a wide with his initial loosener and also bowled another towards the end of the same over.

They were both signs his confidence and technique were shot.

England captain Andrew Flintoff defended the fragile 28-year-old and felt his bowling improved throughout Australia's massive first innings total of 9(dec)-602.

McGrath, on a hat-trick in his third over, was empathetic to Harmison's plight but didn't mince words about his challenge for the rest of the five-Test series.

"I feel for Harmy, his radar wasn't quite switched on," the 36-year-old said.

"We'll see how he goes, he's got a fairly big fight to get back there."

Flintoff, easily the tourists' best with 4-99 and unlucky not to receive more reward as he generated great pace and bounce off a good batting wicket, sensed a better vibe from Harmison after lunch.

"It's not through the lack of trying or effort," he said.

"He's just struggling for a bit for his rhythm in this game.

"But I thought there was an upturn in his 30 overs.

"When it's not going quite right it just knocks your confidence a little bit."

Initially overlooked for the 10-over-old second new ball when play resumed, Harmison was given his chance after 30 minutes but sprayed it either side of the wicket.

Two more wides were to come in a day which also featured an unplayable delivery against Ricky Ponting and the scalp of Shane Warne, who gloved a short ball down the leg-side.

"This is sad," former Australian paceman Damien Fleming said on ABC Radio during his first spell.

Fleming, also an expert bowling coach, believed Harmison's yips stemmed from his front arm pulling his body down on the point of delivery and was exacerbated by a lack of confidence.

"His non-bowling arm is a real issue. It's going out to cover rather than Jones the keeper.

"There's some mental issues here. He's not confident."

The reclusive Harmison has been plagued by confidence problems in the past 12 months and a side strain which reportedly forced him to miss the tourists' only first-class practice match against South Australia last weekend.

While The Sun newspaper in London labelled his first-day delivery the "Bawl of the Century", former England opener Geoffrey Boycott took aim at England's management.

"I'm sorry, but I have never bought this theory coming out of the England camp that he would be all right on the night," he wrote in The Telegraph.

"Harmison won't come right by resting. I have never heard of any batsman or bowler who got better by sitting on his arse in the dressing room."

There are whispers Harmison, who no longer has Australian Troy Cooley as a bowling mentor, is at loggerheads with coach Duncan Fletcher.

A source close to the Australian side said the fragile spearhead felt under too much pressure from Fletcher.

Harmison, a key intimidator of Australia's batsmen in last year's series victory, will be under immense pressure to hold his spot for the second Test if England is contemplating playing both spinners Ashley Giles and Monty Panesar on an Adelaide Oval wicket conducive to turn.

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