Marcus Harris makes century for Victoria, Travis Head to bat at No.4 for SA

The national selection chief was in Sydney where a curious Travis Head move was in place as a regular Victorian run scorer opened the Sheffield Shield season in style.

Marcus Harris showed the worth of a specialist opener navigating tricky early conditions to carve out a stylish century for Victoria as the early shining light on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield season.

The former Test opener carved out his 29th first class century having taken a different approach to the new season despite the lingering prospect of a return to the national side dangling like a carrot, as selectors weigh up who might partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order for the upcoming series against India.

As Travis Head was listed to come in at No.4 for South Australia, an indication that his state team at least had no intention of seeing him work against the new ball, one-time next-in-line Harris powered on as another Test hopeful, Cameron Bancroft, was out for a first-ball duck in Perth.

The West Australian opener was the first of Queensland quick Michael Neser’s two wickets in the first two balls of their clash, with Mitch Marsh, only just back from a long white-ball tour of the UK, forced to hold out the hat trick ball with his team 2-0.

NESER! 🔥🔥

First two balls = two wickets! #SheffieldShield

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 8, 2024

Early wickets fell in Melbourne too as Harris lost his opening partner, Ashley Chandrasinghe, was dismissed in the opening over at the Junction Oval and Campbell Kellaway shortly after to leave the Vics reeling at 2-22 against Tasmania.

Then Harris and another former Test batter keen to show he’s not done, Peter Handscomb, steered their side out of trouble

With national selection chief George Bailey in attendance at the clash between NSW and South Australia in Sydney, Harris endured tough early times from the Tassie attack on a greenish wicket in Melbourne before bringing up his century with a reverse sweep on his 146th ball.

He was unbeaten on 110 at tea, Handscomb nearing his own century on 88, and the Vics in a strong position at 2-208 on the opening day.

Harris, now 32 and having signed a long-term deal with the Vics, said he was playing without possible Test selection “hanging over my head like I had last year”.

“I know where I stand and in the position I’m in, with the age I am, I know that I need to knock the door down if I’m going to have any chance again,” he told cricket.com on the eve of the new Sheffield Shield season.

“It seems they’re pretty settled with who the six batters (in the Test team) are, but they’re not really too sure what the order is going to be.”

No shot offered! 🫥

Dream start for Gabe Bell and Tasmania! #SheffieldShieldpic.twitter.com/4WSbjnVRbp

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 7, 2024

Debate continues to swirl over who should open for Australia, with Steve Smith, who filled the gap left by David Warner after his retirement, likely to move back to No.4.

An injury cloud hovering over all-rounder Cameron Green could also impact any move from the selectors, with former Australian coach Darren Lehmann nominating the all-rounder as a potential opener

“For me, Smith goes to four, there’s no doubt about that,” Lehmann told the ABC.

“That means either Green has to open or they go for a traditional opener.”

Smith was rested from the NSW side for the opening game, with the home side as rising star Sam Konstas stood up as wickets fell around him.

Konstas, who was part of Australia’s Under 19 team which lost the World Cup final to India in February, was unbeaten on 76 and NSW 4-155 nearing tea.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 08: Sam Konstas of the Blues celebrates after reaching his half century during the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and South Australia at Cricket Central, on October 08, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

At the WACA, after the early batting carnage where Neser snared a third wicket when he removed Marsh for 13, the home team was 3-42 nearing lunch.

Originally published as Marcus Harris makes century for Victoria, Travis Head to bat at No.4 for SA