Premier Cricket: Jack Harper scorches another century for Melbourne

Playing his own game rather than trying to copy his brother Sam, Jack Harper has hit a deep purple patch of form for Melbourne.

Melbourne batsman Jack Harper hits down the ground early in his innings of 124. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Jack Harper made his maiden century in Victorian Premier Cricket last week.

On Saturday the Melbourne wicketkeeper-batsman made it two tons from two hands, cracking 124 off 115 balls against Northcote at the Albert Ground.

The innings helped the Demons to another victory: they reached 8-275 off their 50 overs and dismissed the Dragons for 241.

“Nice to contribute and nicer to contribute to a win,’’ he was saying on Sunday morning.

Wanting to play with his brother Sam, Harper joined Melbourne from Richmond in 2016-17 and has been in and out of the First XI, his selection often depending on the availability of the club’s state players.

Ironically, he sometimes has had to make way for Sam.

Northcote players are jubilant as Melbourne batsman Will Pucovsk walks off. Picture: Valeriu Campan

But he got more opportunities in the top team in 2020-21, and this season he’s played every game in the firsts, with increasing authority.

Coach Ben Vague started talking him up before Christmas after his scores of 17, 64, 45, 74 and 62.

Since then he’s added 107 and 124, edging towards the 500-run mark.

On the fringe? He’s now one of the first players picked.

But why did it take so long for such an accomplished player to score a Premier century?

“That’s the million-dollar question,’’ he said.

“It’s probably upstairs which has been the main hindrance. Probably going outside what my skill-set is at various times, getting to 10, 20, 30 and doing something I see my brother do on TV and then get out.

“This year it’s been probably been playing to my own strengths and applying my own I suppose cricket DNA on it all, as opposed to trying to be a player that I’m not. It’s worked OK so far.

“I’m not very big so I can’t hit it very hard. I just try to score off as many balls as I can, run hard between the wickets and keep trying to tick things over.’’

Melbourne batsman Blake Thomson defends. Picture: Valeriu Campan

He said his maiden century last week against Melbourne University was more of a relief than anything.

Melbourne needed more runs from him on Saturday after it lost Sam Harper for a duck, nicking the first ball of the match down the leg-side, and Will Pucovski, run out for 8.

Skipper Blake Thomson and Jack Harper put on 98 for the third wicket to get the innings going.

Jack Prestwidge thumped 68 (3 sixes, 3 fours) off 66 balls as the Demons surged past 250.

Harper hit 14 fours and 1 six.

He said he was presented with a “perfect storm’’.

“It was a high-scoring game. It was one of those wickets where all the batters from yesterday would agree that if you got in it they were pretty nice conditions,’’ he said.

“It was one of those days where it was nice to get to 20 balls and then enjoy a beautiful flat Albert wicket for the afternoon.’’

He said it was “nice’’ to feel secure about his position in the team.

There was also a century for another wicketkeeper-batsman, St Kilda captain Adam Crosthwaite, on Saturday.

Crosthwaite is only a part-time gloveman these days – he steps in when Patrick Rowe is unavailable – but at 37 he is batting as well as ever.

Adam Crosthwaite is in rare form for St Kilda.

On Saturday he smoked 105 not out off only 61 balls, putting away 12 fours and 3 sixes, against Essendon at the Junction Oval.

It followed innings of 74 and 93 not out. And it was his 33rd century when his scores in Victorian, NSW and SA grade cricket are totted up.

Whereas last week he steered the Saints home in a run chase, Crosthwaite blasted off against the Bombers to set them an imposing target.

With opener Michael De Iacovo hammering 92 off 89 balls, St Kilda raised 4-311, then dismissed the visiting side for 216.

Veteran Simon O’Brien collected 5-32 off 10 spotless overs.

“It was good. I feel like I’m batting well, that I’m in control of it at the moment, which is nice,’’ he said.

“Different games and different innings at the moment. Last week it was a steadying role. This week we had a pretty good platform mate. I think we got 100 off the last 10 overs.’’

Echoing Harper’s comments, Crosthwaite said conditions were “perfect’’ for batting.

“The wicket was back to a white Junction wicket. Beautiful day, pretty hot, tough for the bowlers. If you were ever going to make runs it was yesterday at the Junction.’’

It was Crosthwaite’s third century for the Saints, whom he joined three years ago.