Harris defies Test attack, Afridi gets Labuschagne

Marcus Harris appears to be using another spell in county cricket to prove he's still good enough to win back his place as Australia's Test opener.

The Victoria opener continued his fine form for Gloucestershire so far this season, defying the return of Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson on Thursday to notch up another valuable half-century as wickets tumbled at Old Trafford.

SCORES: County Championship, Div 1 and Div 2

Harris, who opened his new career with Gloucestershire in the Championship Division One with a magnificent hundred against Yorkshire last week, top-scored with 67 while sharing in a century opening partnership with Chris Dent.

It was another fine knock, featuring 10 fours and a six, from the left-hander, who's battling hard after a dispiriting few months in which he lost both his Test place at the end of the Ashes series and, subsequently, his Cricket Australia contract.

Harris, who had a lucrative spell with Leicestershire in the last English summer, also had to sit out the Marsh Sheffield Shield final because of a COVID-19 infection, but he's kept making plenty of first-class runs for both Victoria and Gloucestershire since the international axe fell.

Image Id: 0F04737D424B4C0084A9E1D266E561E1 Image Caption: Matt Renshaw made 48 opening for Somerset against Surrey // Getty

Facing a quality Lancashire attack headed by Anderson, Pakistan star Hasan Ali, England quick Saqib Mahmood and highly-rated leg-spinner Matt Parkinson, Harris batted for nearly three hours and 117 balls before his dismissal by Mahmood sparked a collapse.

Hasan took 6-47 as Gloucestershire struggled to 252 all out but Anderson, out to regain his England place nearing his 40th birthday after being controversially left out of the tour to the West Indies, couldn't get in the wickets column while conceding just a tidy 30 off his 16 overs. 

Elsewhere, Marcus Labuschagne lost out in renewed battle with Shaheen Shah Afridi in Cardiff, as the brilliant Pakistan quick removed Glamorgan's Australian star as part a three-wicket haul for Middlesex.

Labuschagne, currently ranked the world's best Test batsman, was on just eight when his misguided attempt to leave a ball ended with him edging it onto his stumps.

Afridi has dismissed Labuschagne five times in seven innings in Test cricket, including three times in the recent series in Pakistan.

No batsman was really in, though, as the seamers enjoyed themselves on a day when 16 wickets fell.

After Glamorgan were bowled out for just 122, Middlesex struggled to 6-171, with their Aussie captain Peter Handscomb falling for an eight-ball duck.

Other Australians in action overnight included Queensland's Matt Renshaw, who scored 48 in his return to the opening spot for Somerset against Surrey, and Western Australia's Matt Kelly, who picked up 2-62 on debut for Northamptonshire against Yorkshire.

Another highlight included a second unbeaten century in a row for Brett D'Oliveira, grandson of the late England great Basil, as Worcestershire reached 5-338 against Sussex.

The 30-year-old ended the day at Worcester 106 not out to follow up his unbeaten 134 against Leicestershire.

Australians in 2022 County Championship

Essex: Mark Steketee

Glamorgan: Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser

Gloucestershire: Marcus Harris

Kent: Jackson Bird

Middlesex: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Matt Kelly

Nottinghamshire: James Pattinson

Somerset: Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle

Sussex: Josh Philippe

Warwickshire: Nathan McAndrew

Get the full rundown of Australians playing county cricket in 2022