Despite failing eyesight, which had kept him out of frontline service during the Second World War, Harrison was known as a wicket-keeper who would often stand up the stumps to fast bowlers, most notably Derek Shackleton.
After retiring from playing, Harrison succeeded Arthur Holt as Hampshire coach in 1965, an appointment he would hold until 1970 when he left to go into business.
[1] Aged 17,[2] he made his first-class debut for Hampshire against Worcestershire at Bournemouth in the 1939 County Championship, with him playing in the following fixture against Yorkshire.
[3] Following the war, the new Hampshire captain and secretary Desmond Eagar inherited an ageing pre-war side, but was determined to build a younger team using local talent — amongst them Harrison.
During the early part of his post-war career with Hampshire, Harrison would play solely as a batsman, with the wicket-keeping duties being occupied by Neil McCorkell.
[6] He made the same number of appearances in 1922, but generally struggled with the bat, scoring 256 runs at an average of 8.82; he did however find increased wicket-keeping opportunities when deputising for Harrison.
Cricket historian David Frith proffered that his transition to full-time wicket-keeping duties had deprived Hampshire of a superb outfielder.
[22] Harrison was a member of Hampshire's 1961 County Championship winning team,[1] scoring 652 runs from 27 matches and 62 dismissals behind the stumps.
[24] Alongside his coaching duties, he continued to act as Hampshire's reserve wicket-keeper and played in the Second XI Championship until 1970.
In 1966, an injury crisis at Hampshire necessitated his return to County Championship action at the age of 43, against Surrey at Basingstoke.
[23] He was known to stand up the stumps to the pace bowler Derek Shackleton, with Harrison taking many slick leg side catches off of his bowling.
[1] Following his death, his Hampshire teammate John Manners (1914–2020) became the only surviving player to have played first-class county cricket before the Second World War.