All posts tagged: Simon Harmer

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMay 5, 2026 04:34 PM IST South African off-spinner Simon Harmer said that India’s dominance in world cricket was underpinned by its commercial and administrative power, arguing that South Africa’s World Test Championship (WTC) triumph had not significantly altered the global balance. South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets to win the WTC final at Lord’s last year, their first major red-ball crown since readmission in 1991-92. “Because of their commercial power, they have all of the power,” Harmer told The Guardian. “The BCCI control the ICC. But what can we do? As a player, you just control the controllables. The only thing that changes the narrative is winning trophies.” Harmer was part of the South African side that defeated India 2-0 at home last year to inflict a second consecutive series loss at home on the Shubman Gill-led side. He expressed admiration for the current South African setup under head coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma, describing it as a side built on collective strength rather than star power. “That team …

Simon Harmer on South Africa’s celebration after beating India in Kolkata: ‘We’re in a nice hotel…had a couple of beers last night’ | Cricket News

Simon Harmer on South Africa’s celebration after beating India in Kolkata: ‘We’re in a nice hotel…had a couple of beers last night’ | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Player Of The Match in the first Test at Kolkata, Simon Harmer has picked up eight wickets in the match, helping South Africa get a 1-0 lead in the series against India. Reflecting on how he celebrated the victory, Harmer said he had a couple of beers, and the senior group in South African team appreciates winning Test match cricket. “We’re in a nice hotel. Probably some golf tomorrow. We had a couple of beers last night. I think it’s important to celebrate wins, especially here in India, because you don’t know when they’re going to come around again. The senior group here appreciates winning Test match cricket. It’s quick turnaround so nice to have a couple of extra days off,” he said on ‘talkSPORTCricket’. “We need to make sure we get back to the drawing board because the Indians are going to have some fire in their belly and want to turn around the results of the first Test,” Harmer added. Story continues below this ad Speaking on his expectation of pitch in Guwahati …

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

‘Umami’ to off-spin: The unique India link behind Simon Harmer’s match-winning spell in Kolkata Test | Cricket News

Published by Webster

On the evening of the second day of the Kolkata Test against India, the South African spinner Simon Harmer called an Indian, Umesh Patwal. He wanted to know how to bat the next day – should he reverse sweep or play the conventional, and which balls he can leave alone on that treacherous pitch. Why was the South African spinner calling an Indian hand? A few hours before that call, Harmer had credited Patwal in the press conference, hailing him for turnaround in his spin-bowling career. Patwal laughs as he recalls that phone call. “You see he is in such a space with his bowling that we don’t discuss that much. So, it was about his batting!” Patwal tells The Indian Express. But it’s the bowling story that fascinates us – how those ten days spent in Mumbai in 2016 completely turned around his bowling and why was Patwal chosen by Harmer. Patwal is Assam’s U-23 squad’s coach these days and says he felt “proud” when Harmer credited him for success. So what happened in …

Simon Harmer kept it simple: In scripting South Africa’s famous win over India, and in rediscovering himself to make Test comeback | Cricket News

Simon Harmer kept it simple: In scripting South Africa’s famous win over India, and in rediscovering himself to make Test comeback | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Sometime after he became South Africa’s red-ball coach, Shukri Conrad got a phone call from the semi-exiled off-spinner Simon Harmer. “He told me he is desperate to play for South Africa,” he recollected after Harmer’s Eden exploits. “And I told him I was equally desperate to have him in this team!” Thus began Harmer’s Test rebirth. Between November 2015 to March 2022, Harmer learned and unlearned, celebrated success and endured heartbreaks, learned about himself and the world, streaked his hair with every possible shade, became a law graduate, grabbed 1000 first-class wickets, nearly became a British citizen but for Brexit, and before the winter of his career crept in, he returned to his roots to resume his biggest dream of playing Test cricket. It was a dream he lived and had to rebuild. Three years into his comeback, he could say he is living his rebuilt dream as he always wanted to. Living, loving, and enjoying the sport. In eight Tests in his second life, he has grabbed 40 wickets at an average of 20, …

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

Eden Gardens Test: India lose at home yet again, Simon Harmer leads South Africa’s famous win | Cricket News

Published by Webster

The whites of South Africa, dirtied and crumpled, glowed in a shade of gold under the pre-evening sunshine. On the same stage they renewed international cricket 34 years ago, they scripted one of the finest moments in their history. In a nervous contest on a stinker of a pitch, they upended the hosts by 30 runs to secure an unassailable lead. The winning moments captured the meaning of the moment. Keshav Maharaj, who bagged the last two wickets in as many balls to bundle out India for 93, he sprinted like a man possessed, a man in a state of pure bliss. Then his eyes searched for Temba Bavuma, whose resolute and unbeaten 55 had propelled the dream and who devoured the steepling catch of Axar Patel, India’s last flicker of hope. Bavuma had a firm grip on his emotions. He just walked with a gratified smile, like a man who believed the victory was possible. Once South Africa set 124, he knew the destiny of his team was in their own hands. Just at …

India vs South Africa 2025 1st Test Preview: Temba Bavuma’s men eye historic win amid spin challenge | Cricket News

India vs South Africa 2025 1st Test Preview: Temba Bavuma’s men eye historic win amid spin challenge | Cricket News

Published by Webster

His eyelids flickering furiously, Temba Bavuma remembers a rendezvous with Kane Williamson at an award function in Mumbai two months ago. “I tried to ask him for some pointers (about winning in India). He wasn’t too open…” he recounts. Williamson was the wrong person, because an untimely groin strain had robbed him of the historic moment last year, when New Zealand blanked India 3-0. But the worldly-wise Kiwi talisman offered a simple piece of advice: “Make sure that you win the toss.” Since then, the South Africa captain, wearing a devilishly deadpan face, says he has been “practising my coin tossing skills.” The room roared and rolled in laughter. A favourable coin flip is among the several variables that make the longest format intriguing. “But…” he says, leaving the humour aside, “I think it is about playing good cricket. It is as easy as that, but it is hard.” In his third Test tour to India, Bavuma is well acquainted with the layered devils of the subcontinent. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma joked that he …

India vs South Africa 2025 1st Test Preview: Temba Bavuma’s men eye historic win amid spin challenge | Cricket News

India vs South Africa 2025 1st Test Preview: Temba Bavuma’s men eye historic win amid spin challenge | Cricket News

Published by Webster

His eyelids flickering furiously, Temba Bavuma remembers a rendezvous with Kane Williamson at an award function in Mumbai two months ago. “I tried to ask him for some pointers (about winning in India). He wasn’t too open…” he recounts. Williamson was the wrong person, because an untimely groin strain had robbed him of the historic moment last year, when New Zealand blanked India 3-0. But the worldly-wise Kiwi talisman offered a simple piece of advice: “Make sure that you win the toss.” Since then, the South Africa captain, wearing a devilishly deadpan face, says he has been “practising my coin tossing skills.” The room roared and rolled in laughter. A favourable coin flip is among the several variables that make the longest format intriguing. “But…” he says, leaving the humour aside, “I think it is about playing good cricket. It is as easy as that, but it is hard.” In his third Test tour to India, Bavuma is well acquainted with the layered devils of the subcontinent. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma joked that he …