Cameron Bancroft feels pain of giving ‘free hit’ to Marcus Harris

Cameron Bancroft was on hand to witness an accomplished Test innings from his replacement Marcus Harris.

Marcus Harris attacks the bowling of part-time spinner Hanuma Vihari. Picture: AAP

Banned opener Cameron Bancroft sat in a suit drinking water high in the northern stand as Marcus Harris, his friend and rival, made hay against India’s attack in Perth.

In every way it was a sobering experience and one which spotlighted a telling quote Bancroft made when he returned to Australia after being banned for nine months for ball-tampering in South Africa.

“Through the last few days, sitting in my own company, the thing that breaks my heart the most is that I have given up my spot in the team for somebody else for free,” Bancroft said.

“People know that I’ve worked so hard to be able to get to this stage in my career, and to know that I have just given somebody an opportunity for free is devastating for me.’’

Never has that point been spotlighted more than at Optus Stadium where Harris looked every bit the long-term opener Australia has been craving with a nerveless, fearless innings on a green wicket which was no monster but no lamb either.

Had there been no ball-tampering ban Harris might well have been watching the Test on television preparing for the opening round of the Big Bash with the Melbourne Renegades and Bancroft could have been the man in the middle.

Harris was the man given the “free hit’’ and yesterday he could not have hit it more sweetly.

New Test players generally fall into two categories when they meet the media — the slightly overwhelmed type who are part-excited, part-daunted and the eager beavers for whom every day is Christmas.

Harris is the second type. His pre-match press conference bristled with the excitement, levity and the measured confidence of a man who sensed he belonged at this level but was too smart to go the early crow.

He sounded up for the contest and on day one he proved that was his mindset on the way to a multi-toned 70.

The strength of his mind was showcased in a two-ball play when he faced an horrendous grubber but then, far from being intimidated, smoked the next ball to the point boundary.

His game expanded and contracted according to the pressure applied. A half-volley was always a half volley and he smacked Ishant Sharma for two driven fours early.

When the ball moved he often simply played the line in a Mark Taylor sort of way and if it beat him such was life as he tried not to chase it.

It took a ball springing off a crack to get him when he parried one to first slip from finger spinner Hanuma Vihari.

Of the three banned players, Bancroft’s future is the hardest to read.

It seems certain Steve Smith and David Warner will be automatically selected after their return but Bancroft, with a batting average of 31 after eight Tests, was just on the cut line when the axe fell.

Warner should return to open the innings, leaving Bancroft to fight it out with Aaron Finch and Harris.

It’s a fascinating numbers game and only the brave or the foolish would dare predict where they might fall.