REVIEW: Renegades Big Bash Celebration night, featuring Marcus Harris @ Dr Watson’s bar, Sherlock Holmes Hotel, 415 Collins Street, Melbourne, 27 February, 6-7 pm
<p>What a heady six months it has been for Victoria’s new favorite cricketing son Marcus Harris. A career-best 250 for the Vics, Test selection, JLT and Renegades Big Bash titles and if the moons align, his first full-blown Ashes tour.
Marcus was a most delightful guest-of-honour at a Celebration Night originally to share in his joy at a Big Bash title. But the very day before his 174 lifted Victoria to a magnificent come-from-behind victory to all but guarantee the Vics a home final.
With more than 700 Sheffield Shield runs at an average of 85, we all hoped that Marcus would win Ashes selection, especially as he’d played all six Tests of the Australian summer.
He spoke candidly about his chances. It was a hot field, especially with David Warner and Cam Bancroft back in contention after their suspensions and Joe Burns in such formidable form.
Having had three seasons at league level in England, he felt his game was suited to the English wickets and he looked forward to the challenge of combating James Anderson and Co.
In his previous stintin the UK he made 11 100s in four and a half months, representing Taunton CC in Somerset.
Originally from Perth where he played at Wanneroo and Scarborough, Harris crossed the Nullabor in 2016 and has had three consecutive Shield seasons of 700-runs-plus.
He says the Renegades’ title may have been a surprise, given they had been outplayed for 30 of the 40-over final, but Marvel Stadium’s drop-in wickets had been of varying quality and any starting score of 130-plus was hard to chase down. So it proved, the Renegades getting home after some Dan Christian magic.
‘We may not have been the best side in the qualifying games, but we got over the line and that’s all that matters,’ he said.
He believed Christian, 35, was in such good form that he would loved to see him included in Australia’s white ball squads, including the coming World Cup.
Marcus loves the life of a professional cricketer but was happy to have a month off in April leading up to the Australia “A’ and Australian Ashes tour.
Among the guests at the reception for Marcus was ex-Testman Paul Sheahan, the national president of the Taverners, who toured England twice in 1968 and 1972.
‘Timbers’ was among a strong contingent from the Tavs. He looked trim and joined in the question-answer segment afterwards. – KEN PIESSE