Shuffled Harris shows value of fighting spirit

Marcus Harris was meant to be at the Blacktown International Sports Park today, wearing the yellow of his Alcohol.Think Again Western Warriors side in their match against the NSW Blues.

Instead, the 23-year-old was 30km south-east at Bankstown Oval wearing a different yellow, that of the Cricket Australia XI as he guided them to an historic maiden victory in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup.

The reshuffling of state squads following the postponement of Australia's tour of Bangladesh meant Harris was squeezed out of the WA side and replaced by the likes of Adam Voges, Cameron Bancroft and the Marsh brothers.

It speaks volumes of Western Australia's batting stocks that Harris and CA XI captain Will Bosisto were surplus to requirements once the Bangladesh tour was called off. But WA's loss was certainly the CA XI's gain today.

Quick Single: Historic win for CA XI over Tigers

Harris was named man of the match in his young side's thrilling three-run win over Tasmanian team that featured three members of Australia's triumphant World Cup squad, two others who have played Test cricket and another who might have in Bangladesh

After two record-breaking losses earlier in the week, the left-handed Harris set the tone for a victory that not even Lazarus himself would have been expected to pull off.

WATCH: Harris scores CA XI's maiden Matador fifty

The oldest and most experienced member of this developmental side, Harris showed a glimpse of the talent that guided him to an unbeaten 158 in last season's Sheffield Shield final and has sparked predictions from the likes of former England opener Michael Carberry that he is a future Test player.

He was particularly fluent against Bangladesh squad member Andrew Fekete early on as he and opening partner Jimmy Peirson put on an opening stand of 70 in just 13 overs.

CA XI quick Jack Wildermuth said Harris's positive approach was a case of putting into action the pre-match directive of coach Troy Cooley.

"(The message from Troy was) to play to your strengths and look to be positive and I think that showed today," Wildermuth said.

"I thought Marcus and Peirso batted really well and set the tone early on, which went all the way through the team."

Harris finished his 94-ball innings of 84 with 10 boundaries, a performance that along with Bosisto's 64 steered the CA XI to 7-241 from their 50 overs.

WATCH: Bosisto chimes in with vital half-century

It comes after a strong winter in English league cricket this year, when he scored four centuries and more than 800 runs for Taunton.

Tasmania's wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine said Harris punished a Tigers side that was slow to get moving after they were asked to bowl first by Bosisto.

Having had a break of four days since their first-up thumping of Queensland on Monday, Paine said the group was in a relaxed mood heading into a match they were expected to win and win comfortably.

But the former Test player denied complacency was a factor in the historic defeat.

"I'd like to think not," Paine said when asked if the Tigers had taken the young CA XI side too lightly.

"You just have days where you're outplayed. They out-batted us, out-bowled us and out-fielded us.

WATCH: CA XI hold on for win in nail-bitting final over

"Whether that's complacency or not, I don't think it was. It's just the way the game goes.

"(The lead-in) was good, probably maybe too relaxed (looking back) now.

"The way we started the game this morning was really ordinary with ball and in the field. We would have cost ourselves 30 runs in the field today and I thought the CA boys fielded extremely well. In tight games, fielding counts and we were of the ball.

"Marcus Harris has scored some Shield runs against us before and we know he's a quality player.

"We bowled pretty poorly too him, he got away and he put us under pressure."