Saving Grace: Harris inspires with match-turning knock

Grace Harris's Edgbaston heroics were 2,338 days in the making, but for the Australia allrounder finally shaking off her 'specialist fielder' tag was well worth the wait.

The Queenslander had played five T20Is this year since her international recall without being required to bat or bowl, and when her opportunity did come against India, it was in the middle of a crisis.

Harris arrived with Australia teetering at 5-49 and still needing 106 from 76 deliveries to take out the first ever Commonwealth Games T20I.

But that sort of scenario is tailormade for the unflappable Queenslander, who cleared the boundary with the seventh ball she faced to take the pressure off batting partner Ashleigh Gardner.

"She's a really bubbly character and takes the game on; she's not scared to get out," Gardner said after Australia's fighting three-wicket win.

"She got out there and said, 'C'mon let's do this'."

The enthusiasm with which Harris has attacked every aspect of Commonwealth Games life so far – she even claims she out-hyped exuberant swim coach Dean Boxall when the pair met on Wednesday evening – carried into the middle.

Wearing her lucky dalmatian socks (in honour of beloved pet 'Dorrie') and commentating her own shots loudly enough to be hard from the boundary, Harris plundered 37 off 20 balls to put Australia firmly back in the hunt for victory, before Gardner's unbeaten half-century completed the win with an over to spare.

"Any opportunity I can get to shake this specialist fielder tag, I'm all for it," quipped Harris, whose innings was her first in a T20I since March 2016.

"I'm really happy that my training and the hard work that I've put in, I've reaped some rewards (and) there's an acknowledgement out there that I'm doing the right stuff in the nets and that how I go about my game is okay for that middle-order role, especially because in domestic cricket back home, I'm more of a top-order batter.

"I'm just really loving the opportunity to get out in the middle."

Her match-saving efforts was strong justification for a close call made by selectors to include the Queenslander to strengthen the batting line-up at No.7, with Harris edging out pace-bowling allrounder Nicola Carey for the final spot in the XI.

"It's a great sign for the team that someone like Grace can come out and dominate on the world stage," Australia captain Meg Lanning said.

"She is quite the character; very loud voice, lots of laughing.

"She's brought a great energy to the group and is properly embracing the Commonwealth Games and everything that goes with it."

It remains to be seen whether Friday's innings will outrank Harris's meeting with Boxall and swim sensation Ariane Titmus, whom the 28-year-old had earmarked as the pair she was most eager to meet while at the Games.

"I've been frothing getting around the other athletes and Dean Boxall's my new life hype coach I reckon," Harris said.

"He was great to chat to (at the flag raising ceremony on Wednesday) but I probably annoyed him for a fair bit.

"To be part of the wider Australian team is fantastic, I'm really loving it, I really am."

2022 Commonwealth Games

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

See all the Commonwealth Games cricket squads here

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

July 29: Australia beat India by three wickets

July 31: Australia v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3: Australia v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium