Harris, Handscomb continue run-scoring spree

Recently axed Test opener Marcus Harris is on the verge of a second consecutive century after he and captain Peter Handscomb batted Victoria into a strong position on day two of their Marsh Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland.

Victoria's most experienced batting pair were largely untroubled on a docile Junction Oval wicket as they blunted the effectiveness of Australian squad members Mark Steketee and Mitch Swepson to almost halve the Bulls' lead by stumps.

Such was the dominance of their unbeaten 165-run partnership that when Steketee (0-45 from 14 overs) was reintroduced for a burst of short-pitched bowling just before stumps, Handscomb dispatched him to the leg-side boundary thrice and also delicately lifted him over the slips cordon to the rope.

Harris was equally as assertive and he finished the day unbeaten on 88 with Handscomb 74 not out as the hosts went to stumps at 1-172, 177 runs behind Queensland's first innings of 349.

The in-form Harris and Handscomb both scored centuries during the recent trip to Adelaide, with the Victorian captain now going 222 runs without being dismissed in the Shield, while Harris hit 102 not out in the Marsh Cup game last Wednesday.

Harris will soon join Steketee and Swepson in departing for Australia's Test tour of Pakistan.

Swepson barely trouble the Victorian pair and beat the bat only once – which deceived both Harris and wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and ran away for four byes – with his flatter trajectory allowing the Victorians to play him comfortably from the crease off the back foot.

Earlier, it was Bulls rookie Jack Clayton's moment as he brought up his maiden first-class century on debut, highlighting the depth of Queensland's batting stocks in the absence of Test stars Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja, who are preparing for the Pakistan tour.

Resuming day two on 72 not out, Clayton took a more aggressive approach in comparison to yesterday's sluggish scoring rate as the visitors banged on 128 runs in the morning session.

Clayton, who staunchly defied Victoria's Test-quality attack featuring Scott Boland and James Pattinson (1-64), reached his hundred about 30 minutes into play with a single to point off spinner Matt Short.

The 22-year-old's shift in intent was noticeable on the second morning, racing from his overnight score to the milestone in just 38 balls after keeping the hosts at bay for 179 deliveries on Friday.

The left-hander was eventually out pulling for 109 (235) amid a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Will Sutherland (3-78), with Travis Dean pouching a sharp chance at square leg.

Clayton's superb knock (12 fours and a six) continued a stellar season for the young University of Queensland batter who also made his Big Bash debut with the Brisbane Heat when they lost 13 players to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis halfway through the season.

"I definitely didn't think that I'd be walking off 100," Clayton said at stumps.

"I just tried to focus on getting the team into a good position to be honest. We were in a bit of trouble at 2-70 on a pretty flat wicket and we kept losing wickets around me.

"(It's) obviously extremely exciting, but it's also good that we put a decent total on the board in the first innings.

"It's a pretty good attack to start off with … but it was a really good experience as well. They don't give you much with the ball so you've got to be extremely patient and try and jump on them when they do bowl a loose one."

After Clayton departed, James Bazley upped the ante with nine powerfully struck boundaries in a 98-ball 64, which included what could prove a decisive 53-run final wicket partnership with No.11 Matt Kuhnemann (24no) that lifted Queensland's first innings total towards 350.

Short was the pick of Victoria's bowlers with 4-74 – his best return in the Sheffield Shield – with his tall physique enabling him to extract some spin and bounce from an otherwise lifeless surface.

The highlight of the morning for Victoria was a stunning reflex catch by Handscomb, who anticipated a fierce cut shot from Steketee off Short at slip, before parrying the ball to himself and hanging on to the diving chance on the second attempt.

Ashes cult hero Boland went wicketless for the first time in all formats since January 22, 2021 – and November 3, 2019 in first-class cricket – but only conceded 24 runs from 19 overs to again show the class that led to his elevation into the Test side.