Exiled Aussie star’s early Ashes reminder; 150km/h speedster’s big first step — County Wrap

Ashes hopeful Marcus Harris has wrapped up his successful County Championship stint at Lancashire with an unbeaten half-century against Kent in Canterbury.

The left-hander notched 50 not out in the fourth innings of the rain-affected stalemate, hitting five boundaries and a six during his 69-ball knock. He finishes his United Kingdom campaign with 1027 runs at 60.41, including three hundreds and five fifties, making him the third-leading run-scorer in Division Two of this season’s County Championship.

Harris was also Lancashire’s leading run-scorer during the one-day cup with 337 runs at 48.14. He returns home this week to join Victoria for the start of the Australian domestic summer.

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“Marcus has been a consummate professional this summer,” Lancashire’s Director of Cricket Performance Mark Chilton said in a statement.

“He has scored over 1000 red-ball runs and captained the side on three occasions during a particularly tricky period.

Harris, who made the most recent of his 14 Test appearances in early 2022, has emerged as a potential candidate to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja in this summer’s Ashes.

Last month, the 33-year-old revealed that he has been in regular contact with national selectors, who put him on standby to replace Steve Smith for the Test tour of the West Indies after the Australian vice-captain broke his finger during June’s World Test Championship final.

Australia has been searching for a Test opener since David Warner’s retirement at the start of last year, trialling Nathan McSweeney, Travis Head, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne and Smith with mixed success.

Following Konstas’ struggles in the Caribbean – where he contributed 50 runs at 8.33 – national coach Andrew McDonald suggested that Sheffield Shield runs would contribute to Ashes selection, opening the door for Harris’ potential recall.

“I just feel like I know my game better than I ever have before,” Harris told CODE Sports last month.

“It wouldn’t be a shock to the system to be in the middle of an Ashes series.”

Elsewhere in the County Championship this week, New South Wales opener Daniel Hughes posted scores of 21 and 16 during Sussex’s drawn match against Hampshire in Hove, while Tasmania’s Caleb Jewell notched 56 and 9 for Derbyshire’s stalemate against Middlesex at Lord’s.

Meanwhile, several of England’s fringe fast bowlers pushed their Ashes credentials in the County Championship this week, with speedster Olly Stone playing his first first-class match of the year.

The 31-year-old, who underwent knee surgery earlier this year, bowled 29 overs on debut for Middlesex, taking just one wicket in a promising albeit underwhelming return to red-ball cricket.

Stone, capable of exceeding 150km/h, could make his Ashes debut this summer if he proves his fitness ahead of the marquee series.

Fellow quick Josh Tongue, England’s leading wicket-taker during the recent home Test series against India, claimed seven scalps during Nottinghamshire’s three-wicket victory over Worcestershire in Worcester.

Durham seamer Matthew Potts took 3-95 during another rain-affected draw against Essex in Chelmsford, with a shoulder injury to veteran seamer Chris Woakes opening the door for his potential Test return.

Surry seamer Gus Atkinson, who enjoyed a breakout summer in 2024, has continued his successful return from a hamstring injury with three wickets in a draw against Warwickshire at The Oval, while during the same match, England vice-captain Ollie Pope posted twin fifties to temporarily silence lingering concerns about his red-ball form.

Elsewhere, former Test spinner Jack Leach claimed 2-9 during Somerset’s drawn match against Yorkshire in Taunton.