Sheffield Shield is regarded as one of the toughest tournaments in the history of domestic cricket and there are a few specialists who have somehow made this fray their very own. One of them is Australian opener, Marcus Harris who will be joining the ranks of Gloucestershire in less than 14 days from now.
Talking about his earlier days in cricket, Marcus Harris said, “It didn’t start well. As a WA group at that time, we hadn’t been anywhere near a Shield final. We built it up to be a really big thing and I remember we ended up losing the toss and bowling for a day-and-a-half. And then I remember I was batting No. 3 and, by the end of the first over, I was in and out of my pads and back in my shorts.”
Marcus Harris opened up about the problems that he had to brave in recent times
He further added, “My Nanna passed away the week before the Shield final, so I was really spurred on to do well that week. I think it sort of took my mind off the game being so big. I had to deal with Nanna passing away and the funeral and I probably had one of my best games ever in a Shield final.”
The man who has previously opened for Australia said, “I just think I’ve always enjoyed playing in finals, even in club cricket for Scarborough and junior finals,” Harris said. “I’ve always done okay. I just think I enjoy the big moment and I don’t put too much pressure on myself. I try and enjoy the game but it’s one of those things where I feel like it just gets me up and about.”
This is how he has been a key player in the Shield finals
Talking about the key in the finals, Harris stated, “I think the key is just keeping focused on what I’m doing rather than what everyone else is doing. There’s always chat especially around an Ashes series. It’s the biggest series we play in. There’s always going to be chat and speculation around who’s doing what and who’s going where. I think what I have in my favour and what I have confidence-wise is that this will be my third season in England in a row now.”
He also stated, “I’m probably not putting too much pressure on myself all the time to have to perform. I obviously want to perform every game I play in but I understand that I’m playing 12 months a year now. It’s not like if I miss out this week in the Shield game I’m not going to be able to play cricket again until October. I know I’ve got another game in a week-and-a-half’s time in England. I’m in a fortunate position where I can play all the time. And I feel like the game is in a good place now where I understand my game. I can constantly tweak and not feel like I’m hindering my game. I think that just comes with age.” Talking about county cricket, Harris added, “I’ve enjoyed the challenge of England, rocking up to a different ground every week and having to problem solve a different way to try and make runs and I think that’s helped me as a player,” Harris said. “I feel confident in my body of work that I’ve had for six or seven years now and I feel like if I’m called upon that I’m ready to go and I can perform at the level I know I can. And if that stuff doesn’t happen so be it. I know I’ve still got a season with Gloucester to play and I’ll be back home for Victoria.”
