56 boundaries! Ashes bolter’s epic assault; forgotten Aussie turns up heat on Konstas — County Wrap – Fox Sports

Forgotten Test opener Marcus Harris has sent a timely reminder to the national selectors ahead of the World Test Championship final, cracking an unbeaten century on Lancashire debut in the County Championship.
The left-hander, a perennial run-scorer in the red-ball competition, scored 138 against Middlesex at Lord’s over the weekend to put Lancashire in a commanding position in the season opener.
Batting at the unfamiliar position of No. 4, Harris struck 21 boundaries before the visitors were bowled out for 359, securing a 99-run lead in the first innings. It was his 30th first-class century, but his first at the iconic venue.
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“To get a hundred in your first game for a new county’s always good,” Harris said at stumps on day two.
“But then to do it at Lord’s, it’s probably the best ground in the world, so that’s definitely a bucket list thing.”
The 32-year-old was lucky not to be stumped on 11 after charging at Middlesex spinner Zafar Gohar, later dropped in the slips cordon by Sam Robson on 123.
Harris was carrying drinks during the 2023 Ashes when the MCC members hurdled abuse at Australia’s Test side in the Lord’s Long Room following Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.
Asked about his previous experience at the ground, Harris laughed: “I’ve played one game and been abused by a lot of committee members.”
Harris, who made the most recent of his 14 Test appearances in January 2022, has accumulated 2360 runs in the County Championship to date, including nine centuries for Gloucestershire and Leicestershire.
Ahead of June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, Harris has an opportunity to heap pressure on young opener Sam Konstas and press his case for a national recall.
Middlesex was 6-288 at stumps on day three, leading by 189 runs.

Elsewhere, Somerset’s Tom Banton put himself on the Ashes radar by posting the fifth-highest score in the County Championship’s 135-year history, a record-breaking 371 against Worcestershire in Taunton.
The 26-year-old batted for nearly nine hours and faced 403 deliveries, clobbering 56 boundaries and two sixes to post the 21st-highest score at first-class level.
It broke the Somerset record for highest individual score, previously held by former Australian coach Justin Langer, who scored 342 made against Surrey in 2006.
“Well done young man,” Langer posted to LinkedIn.
“Great knock. And another golden moment for a wonderful cricket club.”
Coming to the crease at 3-39, Banton combined with Somerset wicketkeeper James Rew for a 371-run partnership for the fifth wicket, another Somerset record, before the young gloveman was dismissed for 152. Banton edged behind early on day three, dismissed by Worcestershire spinner Tom Hinley, at which point Somerset declared at 7-670 with a first-innings lead of 516.
Every Worcestershire player shook Banton’s hand as he exited the pitch following his marathon effort.
“It’s a weird feeling and I was a bit emotional up there in the dressing room,” Banton said at stumps on day two.
“This is the best day I’ve had in cricket and will probably be the best day I’ll ever have. It feels special and you cannot take it for granted.
“I won’t lie, I was pretty tired out there and I kept saying to myself ‘just keep batting, keep going’. There were a few moments when I felt I wanted to be back in the dressing room, but I thought this wasn’t going to happen again, and I wanted to go for the record tonight, so I tried to play my shots when possible.
“On a day like this I think I will have a beer.”
Highest individual scores in the County Championship
501* – Brian Lara, Warwickshire vs Durham, 1994
424 – Archie MacLaren, Lancashire vs Somerset, 1895
410* – Sam Northeast, Glamorgan vs Leicestershire, 2022
405 – Graeme Hick, Worcestershire vs Somerset, 1988
371 – Tom Banton, Somerset vs Worcestershire, 2025

Banton, who had previously considered retiring from red-ball cricket to focus on T20s, enjoyed a breakout County Championship campaign with Somerset in 2024, accumulating 891 runs at 49.50. The right-hander earned a long-awaited national recall back in February, facing India in Ahmedabad for his first ODI appearance in nearly five years.
“I’ve had a weird red-ball career really. I didn’t do well at all,” Banton continued.
“But I’ve found something that works for me and hopefully that continues.”
Banton, who has played ten matches for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, has put him firmly in contention for a maiden Test call-up, with his skillset suiting the England Test side’s ‘Bazball’ approach.
“His talent has never been questioned and is such that he could play for England in all formats,” Somerset teammate Jack Leach said of Banton.
“Sometimes it takes some low moments to help a player reach the next level with his game and he has been through those.
“The journey ‘Bants’ has been on with his cricket has included a couple of difficult years and I love the fact that he has been able to come back and work his game out.
“Now he is more motivated and focused than ever and understands fully what he is trying to do.
“The patience he showed in his innings was an inspiration to us all and hopefully we can get him a win tomorrow to mark his incredible achievement.”
Worcestershire was 5-280 at stumps on day three, still trailing by 236 runs.





Elsewhere in the County Championship, Victorian seamer Fergus O’Neill impressed on debut for Nottingham, taking a five-wicket haul against Durham at Trent Bridge. The 24-year-old claimed 5-81 in the first innings before snaring another two scalps later on day three, leaving Durham in a spot of bother at 3-114 in the second innings, still trailing by 87 runs.
O’Neill was named player of the Sheffield Shield this season having taken 38 wickets at 21.07, further pressing his case for higher honours.
Meanwhile, Zak Crawley’s worrying slump with the bat has continued, scoring 1 and 31 during Kent’s 145-run victory over Northamptonshire in Northampton.
The England opener, who has not registered a century in his 15 most recent Test appearances, was bowled by Australian seamer Liam Guthrie early on day one before picking out cover in the second innings. The 27-year-old averaged 8.66 during England’s recent Test tour of New Zealand, prompting speculation about his future in the national set-up.

Among the other Australians in the County Championship, NSW opener Daniel Hughes posted 19 and 33 during Sussex’s ongoing match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, while captain Peter Handscomb cracked 63 during Leicestershire’s ten-wicket victory over Glamorgan in Cardiff.
Tasmania opener Caleb Jewell notched twin fifties on Derbyshire debut, scoring a rapid 61 off 48 balls and an unbeaten 51 (48) during a nine-wicket triumph against Gloucestershire in Derby.
Among the locals, Essex batter Jordan Cox offered national selectors a reminder of his blistering form by slapping a quickfire 117 from 148 balls against reigning champions Surrey in Chelmsford. It was his ninth first-class century and fifth within the last 12 months.
England Test batter Ollie Pope scored 45 in the first innings while discarded wicketkeeper Ben Foakes contributed an unbeaten 92 as Surry were bowled out for 365, with Essex enforcing the follow-on.
Durham quick Matthew Potts claimed 4-112 against Nottinghamshire, Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson snared 2-76 against Warwickshire, while Test spinner Shoaib Bashir struggled during Glamorgan’s loss to Leicestershire, finishing with 0-92.
Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow, fighting to earn his spot in the Test side back, scored 10 and 56 during a five-wicket loss to Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

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