Durham paceman Steve Harmison says he is happy to be taking wickets and making runs for his county following his omission from the England side.

Harmison and team-mate Paul Collingwood were both left out of the second Test with South Africa and Harmison believes England's loss has been Durham's gain.

"Durham are the only winners in this situation," he told BBC Look North.

"If we [Collingwood and I] are doing well and knocking on the door, Durham are going to have a successful summer."

Harmison has enjoyed a renaissance at county level since being left out of the England side, helping Durham to the top of the County Championship and reach both the Twenty20 quarter-finals and the semi-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy.

All we've got to do is keep knocking on the England door Durham paceman Steve Harmison

However, the Ashington-born fast bowler refuses to blame England's selection committee for his continued absence and appreciates the difficulty they have in selecting the right team.

"The selectors have had a hard job, they've had back-to-back Test matches. They live and die by the decisions they make," he said.

"The next Test they've got a decision to make and all we've got to do is keep knocking on the England door, and if we don't get in, Durham will keep doing well."