Chris Harris (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Chris Zinzan Harris is a former New Zealand cricketer who had become, over the course of the 1990s, a folk-hero in New Zealand
cricket
.
A fine left-handed middle-order batsman and deliverer of right-arm slow-medium deliveries
, Harris has rescued the New Zealand team's batting on numerous occasions, and his deceptive looping bowling has often restricted the run rates of opposition batting line-ups.
In first-class cricket
Harris has played 128 matches and scored over 7000 runs at an average of over 45, including 13 centuries with a highest score of 251*. He has taken over 120 wickets at and average of 38, with best figures of 4/22. He has never been able to successfully make the step up to Test cricket
, however, and has been limited to just 23 Tests, where his average with the bat was only around 20, and he has only taken 16 wickets at 73 runs apiece.
Harris's biggest contribution to the game, however, is in the One Day International arena. In 2004, Harris became the first New Zealand player to have played 250 ODIs, in a season in which he was also the first New Zealander to take 200 wickets, at an average of 37 and an economy rate of just 4.28. In these matches he also scored over 4300 runs at an average of 29 and has over 90 catches in the field. Harris also has a reputation for his abilities as a close fielder, achieving many run-outs with accurate throwing from positions such as square leg.
Harris had been a genuine pace bowler - albeit a wayward one - as a junior cricketer, but decided, under the watchful eye of mentor John Bracewell
, to sacrifice a few yards of pace for accuracy. His gentle looping swing bowling makes the batsman work hard, as the ball is less likely to speed to the boundary, and the deceptiveness of the ball's speed often leaves them attempting to play the ball too early.
Harris currently shares the world record for the most caught and bowled dismissals in ODIs with 29, the record is shared with Muttiah Muralitharan
.
Unfortunately, Harris's performance in his 250th match was curtailed by a serious shoulder injury, and the future of his career is in some doubt. In his early post-shoulder injury games, he was forced to remove the medium slow from his repertoire, and was decidedly less effective. Performances for the New Zealand A side in September 2005 were more promising, however, with several very economical performances against Sri Lanka A.
In 2007 Harris played for Bacup
in the Lancashire League and finished the season as the League's highest wicket-taker with 82 at 13.08. Harris is the captain of the Indian Cricket League
's Hyderabad Heroes
.
Harris is also a sensation at the indoor version of the game and represented Canterbury and New Zealand at will and is also involved in the coaching of Canterbury youth indoor cricket teams.
Harris has recently become on of many high-profile international cricketers to move to Zimbabwe to be involved in the country's cricket, and will now be in charge of the national U-19 side.
Harris's father Zin Harris
was also a New Zealand international player, and his brother Ben Harris has played at first-class level. All three of these player share the family traditional name of "Zinzan", also shared by a distant relation, former All Black Zinzan Brooke
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
A fine left-handed middle-order batsman and deliverer of right-arm slow-medium deliveries
Slower ball
In the sport of cricket, a slower ball is a slower-than-usual delivery from a fast bowler. The bowler's intention is to deceive the batsman into playing too early so that he either misses the ball completely or hits it high up in the air to offer an easy catch...
, Harris has rescued the New Zealand team's batting on numerous occasions, and his deceptive looping bowling has often restricted the run rates of opposition batting line-ups.
In first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
Harris has played 128 matches and scored over 7000 runs at an average of over 45, including 13 centuries with a highest score of 251*. He has taken over 120 wickets at and average of 38, with best figures of 4/22. He has never been able to successfully make the step up to Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, however, and has been limited to just 23 Tests, where his average with the bat was only around 20, and he has only taken 16 wickets at 73 runs apiece.
Harris's biggest contribution to the game, however, is in the One Day International arena. In 2004, Harris became the first New Zealand player to have played 250 ODIs, in a season in which he was also the first New Zealander to take 200 wickets, at an average of 37 and an economy rate of just 4.28. In these matches he also scored over 4300 runs at an average of 29 and has over 90 catches in the field. Harris also has a reputation for his abilities as a close fielder, achieving many run-outs with accurate throwing from positions such as square leg.
Harris had been a genuine pace bowler - albeit a wayward one - as a junior cricketer, but decided, under the watchful eye of mentor John Bracewell
John Bracewell
John Garry Bracewell is a New Zealand cricketer and coach. He played 41 Test matches between 1979-80 and 1990, as well as 53 One Day Internationals. He has been the coach of the New Zealand cricket team since the autumn of 2003...
, to sacrifice a few yards of pace for accuracy. His gentle looping swing bowling makes the batsman work hard, as the ball is less likely to speed to the boundary, and the deceptiveness of the ball's speed often leaves them attempting to play the ball too early.
Harris currently shares the world record for the most caught and bowled dismissals in ODIs with 29, the record is shared with Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
.
Unfortunately, Harris's performance in his 250th match was curtailed by a serious shoulder injury, and the future of his career is in some doubt. In his early post-shoulder injury games, he was forced to remove the medium slow from his repertoire, and was decidedly less effective. Performances for the New Zealand A side in September 2005 were more promising, however, with several very economical performances against Sri Lanka A.
In 2007 Harris played for Bacup
Bacup Cricket Club
Bacup Cricket Club, based at Lanehead in Bacup, Lancashire, are a cricket club in the Lancashire League.The club started in 1892 when the Lancashire League was formed. Their professional for the 2008 season was Chris Harris. Their captain for the 2011 season is David Warren and their professional...
in the Lancashire League and finished the season as the League's highest wicket-taker with 82 at 13.08. Harris is the captain of the Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
's Hyderabad Heroes
Hyderabad Heroes
Hyderabad Heroes was one of the eight teams that competed in the Indian Cricket League. The team was based in Hyderabad and its captain was former New Zealand player Chris Harris.-Players:...
.
Harris is also a sensation at the indoor version of the game and represented Canterbury and New Zealand at will and is also involved in the coaching of Canterbury youth indoor cricket teams.
Harris has recently become on of many high-profile international cricketers to move to Zimbabwe to be involved in the country's cricket, and will now be in charge of the national U-19 side.
Harris's father Zin Harris
Zin Harris
Parke Gerald Zinzan "Zin" Harris was a New Zealand cricketer who played in 9 Tests between 1955 and 1965....
was also a New Zealand international player, and his brother Ben Harris has played at first-class level. All three of these player share the family traditional name of "Zinzan", also shared by a distant relation, former All Black Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Valentine Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight...
.
External links
- http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/37232.html
- http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cricket/news/article.cfm?c_id=29&objectid=10613280 Interview with Chris Rattue for the New Zealand Herald