Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Marcus Harris has staked one last impressive claim to be included in Australia’s squad for the World Test Championship final as the most prolific batter in England this summer scored a third century for Lancashire in just over a month.
With the squad for the showpiece Lord’s final having to be submitted to the ICC by Monday, the rejuvenated former Test left-hander delivered one more reminder of his enduring quality by scoring 121 against Darren Lehmann-coached Northamptonshire on Saturday.
If there’s any qualms about the young gun Sam Konstas being able to handle the opening spot against South Africa, former opener Harris keeps shaping as a potential safe pair of hands to turn to at the top of the order with his bagful of runs in the county game.
His five-hour, 230-ball knock on not the easiest Northampton pitch, an effort which featured 18 boundaries even if he did have the fortune of being dropped on 28 and 82, meant the 32 year-old has now compiled a county-leading 706 runs in nine knocks, featuring three 50s and three tons at an average of 88.25.
With those three hundreds, which had begun with 138 at Lord’s against Middlesex and continued with 167 on his home Old Trafford turf in his last match, he’s now amassed 140 runs more than any other batter in the country this season.
Still, Harris, who played the last of his 14 Tests in 2022, will doubtless not be holding his breath about featuring in the World Test final line-up. Two years ago, he was in the 15-player squad for the last final against India but ended up missing out to David Warner.
As in the rest of his innings this season, Harris has been thriving in the No.4 spot, not as opener, but it hasn’t stopped him flourishing against some decent county attacks.
This time he had to contend with some incisive bowling from Northants’ Australian pair of Liam Guthrie (2-72) and Harry Conway (3-48), who took half of the Lancashire wickets between them to keep their side in the hunt.
Lancashire were bowled out for 276, in response to Northants’ 238, and second-time around, Lehmann’s side battled to 6-140, leading by 102 runs.
