Harris sees Shield tons as ticket to the Ashes

Test opener Marcus Harris has his eye on “peeling off a couple of hundreds” when the Sheffield Shield season resumes this week in a bid to secure his ticket to the Ashes.

After some middling Big Bash efforts – he passed 20 only once in six innings for the Melbourne Renegades – Harris conceded yesterday that he had found the transition from red to white ball hard, but expressed confidence he was better prepared for business.

“It was hard coming in after the India series and having a week in between the Sri Lanka series then going back to Test cricket. It wears you out a little bit,” Harris said ahead of Saturday’s start to Victoria’s Shield clash with Queensland at St Kilda’s Junction Oval.

“But I had a few days off, and I hadn’t had any days off since September.

“I’ve got some more training in too, rather than just coming for a match.

“It’s been good to be out in the middle at training and practising a few things.”

The left-hander has been on a steep learning curve all summer, having risen to the national team on the back of some stunning Sheffield Shield form for Victoria, including an unbeaten 250.

Everything about Test cricket was new to Harris, who went on to make 327 Test runs, including two half-centuries.

He conceded to being “disappointed” after making a total of only 69 runs in the final two Tests against Sri Lanka and suggested he was no longer the lock for the Ashes he had seemed, with banned opener David Warner certain to return.

“Two weeks ago I was the first bloke picked, then when you don’t make runs it all changes. That’s fine, it doesn’t bother me,” Harris said.

“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.”