Harris gets support of Handscomb
Photo: HAMISH BLAIR/AAP
CRICKET: Victorian captain Peter Handscomb would have had Marcus Harris in the Test batting debate well before the opener’s career-best innings.
Harris was man of the match for his unbeaten 250 as Victoria thrashed NSW by an innings and 107 runs in their Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.
Victoria are on a roll, having also won the one-day title, and now Harris has entered the Test batting debate with his first double ton at any level.
Harris has impressed Handscomb since coming to Victoria from WA two years ago.
“He’s really put his hand up, but he’s been doing a good job for us since he came here,” Handscomb said. “It’s a shame that it’s taken this long for his name to come up. I think he was a chance earlier, for sure.”
NSW captain Peter Nevill also praised Harris’ innings, but noted the game might have turned out much differently had they not dropped a chance from the opener when he was yet to score.
Harris, 26, left WA with a stinging critique from then-WA coach Justin Langer, now in charge of the national team, who called him mediocre with flashes of brilliance.
But Harris has scored 1790 Shield runs since the move, the most in that time. He has eight Shield tons, including two last season, and in 65 first class matches Harris has scored 3928 runs at an average of 35.38.
A ton of defiance from Queenslander Sam Heazlett, meanwhile, thwarted South Australia in Adelaide.
Heazlett's unbeaten 118 ensured the Bulls held off SA's push for victory.
The 23-year-old lefthander batted through the entire day to anchor Queensland's 6-357 in their second innings, a lead of 83 runs when stumps were called early, the match a draw.