Pasty Harris

Pasty Harris

Personal information
Full name	Michael John Harris
Born	(1944-05-25)25 May 1944St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, England
Died	c. 18 July 2025(2025-07-18) (aged 81)
Nickname	Pasty
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Legbreak
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1964–1968	Middlesex
1969–1982	Nottinghamshire
1971/72	Eastern Province
1975/76	Wellington
Umpiring information
WODIs umpired	3 (2000–2006)
FC umpired	161 (1988–2008)
LA umpired	171 (1985–2008)
T20 umpired	33 (2003–2008)
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A Matches 344 225 Runs scored 19,196 4,882 Batting average 36.70 29.95 100s/50s 41/98 3/26 Top score 201* 104* Balls bowled 6,345 94 Wickets 79 4 Bowling average 43.78 21.75 5 wickets in innings 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 4/16 2/24 Catches/stumpings 288/14 139/6
Source: CricInfo, 18 May 2017

Michael John "Pasty" Harris (25 May 1944 – c. 18 July 2025) was an English first-class cricketer who played for various teams. He played from 1964 until 1982 in a 344-game first-class career which took him to South Africa and New Zealand.^[1][2]

Early life

Harris was born in St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, in 1944.^[2] His nickname of "Pasty" referred to his Cornish origins.

Playing career

In England, Harris represented Nottinghamshire, for whom he scored over 15,000 runs, and Middlesex County Cricket Club, playing as a right-handed batsman and, from 1969 until around 1972, as a useful leg-spinbowler. From 1974 to 1977, Nottinghamshire used him as their wicketkeeper, as David Pullan, the incumbent, was a poor batsman. Harris hit nine centuries, equalling the county record, in 1971 when he scored 2238 runs.^[3][4]

In 1974, Harris was selected to tour Rhodesia with the International Wanderers, a private touring team organised by Brian Close.^[5]

A prolific batsman in county cricket, Harris was selected on standby for the 1974–75 Ashes tour but Colin Cowdrey was called into the squad in his place.

Umpiring career

Harris later became an umpire, officiating at List A level from 1985 to 2008 and at First class level from 1988 to 2008.^[6][7] He officiated in 161 first-class matches, 171 List A and 33 T20.^[8]

Death

On 18 July 2025, it was announced that Harris had died at the age of 81.^[8]

References

1. "Mike Harris". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
2. "Pasty Harris". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
3. "First-Class Matches played by Mike Harris". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
4. Smallcombe, Mike (10 June 2018). "Cornwall's 50 greatest living sports men and women". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
5. "List A Matches played by Mike Harris". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
6. "Mike Harris as Umpire in First-Class Matches". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
7. "Mike Harris as Umpire in List A Matches". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
8. "Mike 'Pasty' Harris: 1944–2025". Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. 18 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-18.

External links

• Pasty Harris at ESPNcricinfo