Marcus Harris has despatched a refined reminder to selectors about his Take a look at capabilities, hitting a century in his first Sheffield Protect innings of the summer season towards Tasmania.
Harris introduced up his twenty eighth first-class century simply earlier than tea on Tuesday, and went to the break on 110 not out with Victoria 2-208 on day one after being 2-21 early.
The previous Take a look at opener’s runs got here as a part of an enormous third-wicket stand with Peter Handscomb, who was unbeaten on 88 at tea.
The century was Harris’ seventh at Junction Oval, with nationwide selector Tony Dodemaide amongst these in attendance.
Australia’s selectors face a number of huge selections across the opening function within the subsequent six weeks forward of the primary Take a look at towards India in Perth.
Most crucially they have to decide whether or not Steve Smith holds onto the function as an opener, or whether or not they would favor he transfer again down the order to No.4.
Cameron Inexperienced and Travis Head may each loom as choices to maneuver to the highest in Smith’s place if required, preserving the taking part in XI the identical as final summer season.
Any probability of Head transferring, nevertheless, appeared to lower on Tuesday with the left-hander listed to bat at No.4 for South Australia towards NSW of their Protect recreation.
A timeline on Inexperienced’s return from a again damage can also be anticipated later this week, with fears he might be unable to bowl in any respect this summer season.
Inexperienced may probably play all through summer season as a batter if deemed match sufficient. Selectors would wish to think about Mitch Marsh’s physique to deal with the burden of being Australia’s fifth bowler.
Alternatively, Michael Neser and Aaron Hardie are main choices ought to selectors wish to convey an allrounder into the workforce instead of Inexperienced, giving them bowling depth.
The ultimate choice could be to maneuver Smith again to No.4 and herald a specialist opener, if Inexperienced is just not the popular choice or thought-about unfit for choice.
That’s the place Harris, who starred on Tuesday as Cameron Bancroft copped a first-ball duck, and Matt Renshaw, who’s again opening for Queensland, would hope to come back into the dialog.
With Victoria dropping two early wickets, Harris received by a tough early interval after the hosts had been despatched in to bat.
The left-hander’s driving on the up and to fuller balls grew to become a function of his innings, getting off the mark when he drove Lawrence Neil-Smith to the boundary.
He introduced up his 50 inside 70 balls with a back-foot punch by the offside, earlier than reaching three figures when he reverse-swept Matthew Kuhnemann.
Harris’ most up-to-date Take a look at for Australia was through the 2021-22 Ashes. He held a nationwide contract final summer season earlier than falling off the checklist this season.
Handscomb was additionally spectacular, after a county summer season in England through which he averaged 65.45 and was Leicestershire’s main run-scorer.
The Victorian performed all 4 Assessments on Australia’s tour of India final yr, and would loom as an choice for the 2 Assessments in Sri Lanka after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
© AAP
