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Bolter emerges to possibly replace injured star as Aus A ton puts BBL gun in Test frame
South Africa claim ODI series vs Aus | 02:23Victorian wicketkeeper batter Sam Harper has pushed his case to be a last-minute addition to Australia’s Test squad in South Africa after scoring an unbeaten century on day one of Australia A’s four-day game against India A in Puducherry.
Australia A reached stumps at 7/282 after captain Peter Handscomb won the toss and elected to bat first with Harper’s knock of 101 not out turning the game on its head. Watch Australia’s Tour of South Africa Live & Exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? In his first appearance for Australia A and his first first-class match on foreign soil, Harper salvaged the visitors from a position of peril at 5/104.
The gloveman scored the bulk of his 677 Sheffield Shield runs last season opening the batting for Victoria after being shifted to the top following winning the Big Bash’s player of the tournament. He instead walked out at No.7 for Australia A - with Harper given the gloves while Josh Philippe opened - but had no issues sliding down the order.
Harper hit seven four and smashed three sixes in the 146 deliveries to took him to reach his sixth first-class century - two of which came in the same game against Western Australia at the WACA in February. He did the majority of the scoring in a 84-run partnership with South Australian all-rounder Liam Scott before again doing most of the heavy lifting in a 89-run stand with spinner Todd Murphy.
Harper has the chance to go bigger on day two with quick Jhye Richardson for company and the Australian selectors surely watching closely. Josh Inglis’ fractured finger ruled him out of 50-over commitment after the first ODI in South Africa and has his place in the Test squad in doubt. Harper stands as the most like-for-like replacement for Inglis.
The 29-year-old - who debuted for Victoria a decade ago - can serve as Alex Carey’s back-up with the gloves, while also boasting the flexibility to bat anywhere in the top seven - a big attribute considering the uncertain make-up of Australia’s batting line-up. Further up the order, opener Sam Konstas fell for 2 from 25 balls after scores of 25 and 20 in the opening game.
South Australian pair Nathan McSweeney and Jason Sangha both got starts but failed to kick on.
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