Ashes hopeful focuses on Shield to book tour place Harris chases tons
TEST opener Marcus Harris has learned to put the blinkers on and earplugs in when it comes to Ashes squad predictions.
Instead the left-hander has his focus on “peeling off a couple of hundreds” when the Sheffield Shield resumes on Saturday in a bid to secure his ticket to England.
The 26-year-old, who played all six Tests for Australia this summer, has been on a steep learning curve all summer after rising to the national team on the back of some stunning form for Victoria, including an unbeaten 250.
Everything about Test cricket, on and off field, was new to the left-hander who now has 327 Test runs to his name, including two half centuries.
He was labelled by greats of the game, from Allan Border to Ian Chappell, as looking like a “real Test opener” after his early efforts against India. Harris finished the series as Australia’s highest run scorer in the 2-1 defeat.
Harris conceded to being “disappointed” by his effort in the final two Tests against Sri Lanka, scoring just 69 runs as Joe Burns, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson and Usman Khawaja all got hundreds.
It moved plenty to suggest Harris was no longer the lock for the Ashes he had seemed, with banned opener David Warner certain to return to the top of the order.
Former Test quick Mitchell Johnson even left Harris out of his Ashes squad in a weekend newspaper column. But Shane Warne picked Harris to bat at No.3 in the first Test at Edgbaston in August.
The former West Australian isn’t allowing the noise around him to cloud what was “positive” feedback from coach Justin Langer when the Test series finished.
“A few weeks ago I was first bloke picked, then when you don’t make runs, it all changes. That’s fine, it doesn’t bother me,” Harris said.
“Cricket is pretty simple, if you make runs, or take wickets, that stuff looks after itself. It’s about trying to not get too wound up in it. It’s hard not to see it, but you take it as it is and everything changes quickly.
“If I come out and peel off a couple of hundreds in Shield cricket then go well in the Australia A tour (in England) things should be OK.”
Harris has knocked back offers to play county cricket in England ahead of the Ashes and instead opted for rest, under the advice of Langer.
It makes the remaining four remaining Shield games, in which he’ll face the English Dukes ball, extra important to ensure he makes enough runs to be part of the Australia A team and then the Ashes squad.
“I have experienced Test cricket now, I know what it’s like. It can burn you out, the days are long, with everything you do before and after,” he said. “But I am definitely a better player and a better person for that experience.
“I said to my partner no matter what happens from here, I’ve got to play Test cricket. I was happy to get off the mark in the first Test everything else was a bonus.’’