Ryan Harris by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

RJ Harris

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DateLine: 28th April 2009

 

An eye-catching all-rounder, Ryan Harris finally showed his talent in the state arena in 2006-07 with his maiden first-class half-century, his first Pura Cup five-wicket haul and his last-ball heroics in a one-day game. He followed up in 2007-08 with consistent performances that earned him a spot in the Pura Cup Team of the Year as 12th man, with best bowling of 7 for 108, and was South Australia's top wicket-taker with 37 at 29.86. Adding in his average of 24.20 and it was hard to see why the Redbacks didn't try harder to stop him moving to Queensland. In a busy end to the season, he swapped states and joined Sussex on the basis of a British passport, playing one game before the English county realised Harris had signed with Queensland as a local.

 

Harris arrived as a first-class bowler in 2006-07 against Western Australia when he swung the ball menacingly and finished with match figures of 8 for 140. In four outings they were his only first-class victims for the summer, but he also impressed with a fighting 74 in Melbourne. That season he was South Australia's leading Twenty20 wicket-taker with seven at 11.57 and was second on the FR Cup list with 11 at 34.72. His limited-overs highlight was lofting a six over long-on from the final ball against Queensland when the Redbacks needed five for victory. Until last season, Harris had found it difficult to fine-tune both his lower-order batting and his right-arm medium pace to the standard required at state level. A 2002 Academy graduate, Harris toured India with the squad in the same year.