Ashes 2021 | Marcus Harris will open the batting alongside David Warner, confirms George Bailey
Marcus Harris has played 10 Tests for Australia since 2018
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Australia's Chief of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that Marcus Harris will open the batting alongside David Warner in the five-match Test series starting December 8. Harris made Test debut against India in the home-series in 2018 and has played 10 Tests till now and has amassed 428 runs.
Harris made his first-class debut for Western Australia way back in 2010-11 summer. He made 157 runs against Queensland in his third game. Till 2014-15 season, he had amassed more than 2,000 runs but at an average of 28.43.
The Perth-born played for the team till the 2015-16 season as he had a poor season with the bat. The southpaw could only manage to score 274 runs at 27.43 and his coach in the team Justin Langer termed him as “mediocre with flashes of brilliance". Next year, he moved to Victoria and had a great season with the bat with 409 runs averaging 68.16.
Before making his debut against India in 2018, he played a marathon innings of 250 not out against New South Wales. Meanwhile, George Bailey said that the 29-year-old had limited opportunities in the past but we hope he gets an extended run.Â
“Harry’s had limited opportunities in the past, and he’s been in and out a bit, so we’d love nothing more than for him hopefully to get an opportunity to get an extended run at it,” Bailey said on radio RSN.
“What we have liked is his consistency. He’s obviously been a prolific run scorer at domestic level here, but we also love the fact he went overseas and had a great year for Leicester as well.”
Harris has averaged 63, 49 and 70 for Victoria during the past three summers and began this season with a century against New South Wales (NSW). At Leicester, he topped the first-class averages with 655 runs at 55 with three centuries.
Bailey, who played 125 matches for Australia, added that number five spot in Australia's batting line-up was also up for grabs.
"That number five spot is open, but we're starting to get fairly close there," he said.
The 5-Test Ashes is due to begin on December 8 in Brisbane. Australia retained the Ashes when the teams last met in 2019 in England after a 2-2 series draw.
