MELBOURNE: Victorian captain Peter Handscomb would have had Marcus Harris in the Test batting debate well before the opener's career-best innings.
Harris was man of the match for his unbeaten 250 as Victoria thrashed NSW by an innings and 107 runs in their Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.
Next big thing? Marcus Harris on his way to an unbeaten 250 against NSW.Credit:AAP
Injured tailenders Trent Copeland and Mickey Edwards defied Victoria for an extra half an hour on Saturday, taking the game into day four.
But paceman Scott Boland bowled Edwards in the second over on Sunday morning to dismiss NSW for 179 and seal Victoria's second innings win in as many Shield Games.
Victoria are on a roll, having also won the one-day title, and now Harris has entered the Test batting debate with his first double ton at any level.
Harris has impressed Handscomb since coming to Victoria from WA two years ago.
"He's really put his hand up, but he's been doing a good job for us since he came here," Handscomb said. "It's a shame that it's taken this long for his name to come up. I think he was a chance earlier, for sure."
NSW captain Peter Nevill also praised Harris' innings but noted the game might have turned out much differently had they not dropped a chance from the opener when he was yet to score.
Harris, 26, left WA with a stinging critique from then-WA coach Justin Langer, now in charge of the national team, who called him mediocre with flashes of brilliance.
But Harris has scored 1790 Shield runs since the move, the most in that time.
He has eight Shield tons, including two last season, and in 65 first class matches Harris has scored 3928 runs at an average of 35.38.
Doubling up: Harris celebrates reaching 200 for Victoria in their thrashing of NSW.Credit:AAP
Handscomb, another potential Test candidate, was left kicking himself when he did a lot of hard work to reach 48, only for a poor shot to end his innings.
"I'm trying not to focus on the one ball I stuffed up and focus more on the 79 that I played really well," he said. "I felt good out there … unfortunately ,I made one mistake and that's the batter's game. But I'm not that worried, I'm not that frustrated and I'm just very happy with how my game's going, but more importantly how the team is going."
Boland also starred for Victoria in the second innings with 6-49.
Handscomb and rival captain Peter Nevill praised the new-look MCG wicket.
It is the first Shield or Test result at the MCG since NSW won in February last year by an innings.
"It's obviously better than it has been … it's a great improvement," Handscomb said.
Nevill was left lamenting his team's 7-56 batting collapse in the first innings and another four for nil slump on Saturday.
THE INCUMBENTS
SHAUN MARSH: Kept the wolves at bay with scores of 80 and 98 for Western Australia against Tasmania in a welcome return to touch after making just 14 in four Test knocks against Pakistan
TRAVIS HEAD: Considered safe in the Test team after being solid on debut against Pakistan but made only 16 for South Australia against Queensland
MARNUS LABUSHCAGNE: Failed to make a compelling case to retain his Test spot with scores of three and 28 for Queensland against South Australia
THE CHALLENGERS
MATTHEW RENSHAW: The Queensland opener made three and a duck against the Redbacks after being overlooked for a Test spot against Pakistan
PETER HANDSCOMB: The Victorian made 48 against NSW but was kicking himself that he couldn't convert the promising start into an eye-catching score
JAKE LEHMANN: A superb 126 for SA against the Bulls ensures the son of Darren remains in the Test selection frame
JAKE WEATHERALD: The highly-rated SA opener made 69 against the Bulls but needed a big century to enhance his Test claims
JOE BURNS: On the fringes of the Test squad, he made a polished 64 for the Bulls against SA in the first dig but just seven in the second innings
MARCUS HARRIS: Pushed his name into the Test conversation with a brilliant unbeaten 250 – after being dropped on zero – for Victoria against NSW
KURTIS PATTERSON: The New South Welshman posted scores of 63 and 50 and averages more than 40 in first-class cricket but still a Test long shot
AAP
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