{{Short description|English cricketer (1944–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025|cs1-dates=ly}} {{Use British English|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Pasty Harris | image = Pasty_Harris.jpg | caption = | fullname = Michael John Harris | nickname = Pasty | birth_date = {{birth date|1944|5|25|df=y}} | birth_place = St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, England | death_date = {{circa|{{death date and age|2025|7|18|1944|5|25|df=y}}}} | death_place = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Legbreak | club1 = Middlesex | year1 = {{no wrap|1964–1968}} | club2 = Nottinghamshire | year2 = 1969–1982 | club3 = Eastern Province | year3 = 1971/72 | club4 = Wellington | year4 = 1975/76 | umpire = true | wodisumpired = 3 | umpwodidebutyr = 2000 | umpwodilastyr = 2006 | fcumpired = 161 | umpfcdebutyr = 1988 | umpfclastyr = 2008 | listaumpired = 171 | umplistadebutyr = 1985 | umplistalastyr = 2008 | t20umpired = 33 | umpt20debutyr = 2003 | umpt20lastyr = 2008 | columns = 2 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 344 | runs1 = 19,196 | bat avg1 = 36.70 | 100s/50s1 = 41/98 | top score1 = 201* | deliveries1 = 6,345 | wickets1 = 79 | bowl avg1 = 43.78 | fivefor1 = 0 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 4/16 | catches/stumpings1= 288/14 | column2 = List A | matches2 = 225 | runs2 = 4,882 | bat avg2 = 29.95 | 100s/50s2 = 3/26 | top score2 = 104* | deliveries2 = 94 | wickets2 = 4 | bowl avg2 = 21.75 | fivefor2 = 0 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 2/24 | catches/stumpings2= 139/6 | source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/14078.html CricInfo | date = 18 May | year = 2017 }}
'''Michael John '''"'''Pasty'''"''' Harris''' (25 May 1944 – {{circa|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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/7/7398/7398.html |title=Mike Harris |website=CricketArchive |url-access=subscription |access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref><ref name=cricinfo>{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/14078.html |title=Pasty Harris |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref>
==Early life== Harris was born in St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, in 1944.<ref name=cricinfo/> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/7/7398/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Mike Harris |website=CricketArchive|url-access=subscription |access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwalls-50-greatest-living-sports-1646801 |title=Cornwall's 50 greatest living sports men and women |last=Smallcombe |first=Mike |date=10 June 2018 |work=Cornwall Live |access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref>
In 1974, Harris was selected to tour Rhodesia with the International Wanderers, a private touring team organised by Brian Close.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/7/7398/List_A_Matches.html |title=List A Matches played by Mike Harris |website=CricketArchive |url-access=subscription |access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/7/7398/Umpire_in_First-Class_Matches.html |title=Mike Harris as Umpire in First-Class Matches |website=CricketArchive|url-access=subscription|accessdate=2019-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/7/7398/Umpire_in_List_A_Matches.html |title=Mike Harris as Umpire in List A Matches |website=CricketArchive|url-access=subscription|accessdate=2019-12-31}}</ref> He officiated in 161 first-class matches, 171 List A and 33 T20.<ref name=NCCC/>
==Death== On 18 July 2025, it was announced that Harris had died at the age of 81.<ref name=NCCC>{{cite news |title=Mike 'Pasty' Harris: 1944–2025 |url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2025/july/mike-pasty-harris-1944-2025.html |access-date=2025-07-18 |publisher=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club |date=18 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Cornwall}} * {{Cricinfo|id=14078}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Pasty}} Category:1944 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Sportspeople from Cornwall Category:English cricketers Category:English cricket umpires Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers Category:Wellington cricketers Category:Eastern Province cricketers Category:Middlesex cricketers Category:People from St Just in Roseland Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Category:Wicket-keepers Category:Marylebone Cricket Club President's XI cricketers Category:20th-century English sportsmen