Victorian left-hander hits telling hundred for Lancashire on day one as a host of Aussies impress on debut for their county clubs
Marcus Harris has refused to leave Australian selectors alone, entering the World Test Championship final conversation with another big hundred for Lancashire.
With Australia needing to recall an opener for the Test title bout against South Africa in June following Travis Head's cameo against Sri Lanka, Harris issued a reminder of his class with a second century of the county season on day one against Gloucestershire.
The left-hander went to stumps unbeaten on 165 from 263 balls, taking top spot on the Division Two run-scorer's tally for 2025 having already smoked 138 in Lancashire's season opener at Lord's, the venue for the WTC final.
Harris, batting at No.4 where he has all season, arrived in the middle with his side in early trouble after electing to bat first in Manchester after 24-year-old seamer Ajeet Singh Dale removed both openers to leave Lancs 2-23.
But Harris ensured the hosts dominated the opening day from then on, forming a 98-run third wicket union with Josh Bohannon (56) and then a fourth wicket stand of 112 with former Perth Scorchers overseas recruit Matthew Hurst (78).
The Victorian opener became the first Lancashire player to pass 50 five times in his first seven innings for the club when he reached his half-century from 106 balls, before notching his 31st first-class ton and 11th in the County Championship, with a quick single to cover off Tom Price from his 175th ball faced.
The 32-year-old went on the attack in the evening session after reaching three figures, launching off-spinner Ollie Price for six over mid-on and then effortlessly flicking opening bowler Josh Shaw over midwicket for six more as he took just 47 balls to raise the bat once more for 150.
"You always want to make a big hundred when you're out there … it was nice today to play with some freedom and get us some bonus points," Harris said at stumps.
"There will still be some hard work to do tomorrow but the plan will be to bat as long as possible and then attack for a couple of days with the ball."
Harris is now averaging more than 100 in the Championship this season with scores of 52, 50 and 77 to go with his two centuries.
"It gets to the point where you feel pretty good; I think the tempos of my innings have been really good," he said of his hot start for Lancashire.
"You always want to set a good impression at a new club and the benefit of coming off having played at home (during the Australian summer) is I'm in the flow of playing cricket.
"And I'm just trying to make the most of being in some good form – you always get it drummed into you by coaches not to stuff around when you're in good form so I'm just trying to make the most of that."
His knock, which includes 15 fours and the two sixes so far, lifted Lancashire to 5-342 at stumps and meant Gloucestershire's Aussie duo Cameron Bancroft and Cameron Green spent the entire 96 overs in the field on day one.
Elsewhere, Australian Test allrounder Beau Webster made his debut for Division One side Warwickshire, sending down two overs for 10 in Yorkshire's 205 at Headingley before standing firm to end the day 32 not out as his side collapsed to 6-161 at stumps.
South Australian Sheffield Shield winner Jordan Buckingham claimed one of those six in his first game of the season for Yorkshire, dismissing Warwickshire opener Alex Davies caught at third slip by England star Harry Brook.
Meanwhile, delisted South Australian fast bowler Harry Conway marked his county debut with a five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire on day one to help dismiss Leicestershire for 304, with his wickets including their Aussie skipper Peter Handscomb (9) lbw.
He also removed former Victorian allrounder Ian Holland caught behind before wrapping up the tail to finish with 5-68 from 21.3 overs.
