Interview: Marcus Harris reflects on 2026 season
Lancashire Cricket’s overseas batter Marcus Harris says the Red Rose “need to be better” after a disappointing campaign in 2026.
Australia international Harris, who has almost completed his second campaign at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground, was reflecting on the season during Lancs’ clash with Kent at Canterbury last week.
It has been a disappointing year for the Red Rose, with Harris quick to explain that there are no excuses for the underperformance across the board.
“There is no excuse for the way that we’ve gone. We need to be better and we need to improve. It’s on us to try and finish off well and have a good week [against Durham] next week as well.
“We started really well and felt like we built some momentum. I think it’s probably been underestimated a bit, having guys like Luke Wells out for the whole season, and Ajeet Singh Dale. A few little things haven’t quite gone to plan.”
The Australian, who briefly captained Lancashire last season, is one of the most experienced players in the squad. It is a side with a blend of youth and experience, the latter of which includes former England test opener Keaton Jennings and club captain Sir James Anderson.
34-year-old Harris spoke openly about how he can lean into his know-how to help the Red Rose recover from this situation.
“[In my position] you just try and pass on a bit of advice, and then you want to, ideally, I’d like to spend more time in the middle. I haven’t done that in the last five or six games, which is my job.
“We’ve obviously had a young group in these last couple of weeks, so you’re just trying to speak to them a little bit,” the batter explained.
“I’ve spoken a lot to Rocky Flintoff out in the field. Young guys now, they want to get everywhere at a million miles an hour, they put themselves under a lot of pressure, but we’ve definitely got the talent there, so that’s not an issue.”
Harris has been around the group for a long time now, as he approaches the end of his second season or the Red Rose.
Whilst his batting in first-class cricket has not quite hit the heights of the 2025 campaign, where he scored 1067 runs, he’s still managed 665 runs, including three 50s and two centuries.
Looking ahead to the 2027 season, Harris suggested that he is feeling more optimistic about an upturn in fortunes, especially after a much stronger showing in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
“After the One Day comp last year, compared to this year [it] was chalk and cheese, so that showed some big improvement,” said the Perth-born batter.
“It feels like it’s been a tricky year for all the batters in the country, and we’ve really struggled to make some runs. I think our bowling’s been really good, I think we’re up there with bonus points in that aspect.”
Expanding on that point, Harris was quick to praise a fast bowling unit who have taken an abundance of wickets between them.
“I think it’s on us batters to at least give them [the bowlers] some time off their feet, especially when your main bowler [Anderson] is nudging 50 years old and still bowling unbelievably. He’s taken 50 wickets again, Georgey Balderson’s bowled really well, Tommy Bailey too."
With new signing Ben Charlesworth set to arrive in the winter from Gloucestershire, plus the likes of Wells and Singh Dale set to return from injury, Harris implied that could help things knit together in 2027.
“We’ve got all the ingredients. It can get tough this time of the year, and it’s no excuse.
“We have Ben Charlesworth coming in and Wellsy coming back, and all of a sudden it starts to feel like you’ve got all your people in the right places.”
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