Ackermann, Harmer boost for Warriors
Kolpak players back in Centurion ahead of clash with the Lions
Kolpak players Simon Harmer and Colin Ackermann make a welcome return to the Warriors’ squad and will boost the franchise substantially as they head into their second 4-Day Franchise Series match against the Lions in Centurion on Friday.
The Warriors were off the pace in the lion’s share of their opening match of the season against the Highveld Lions at St George’s Park last week.
They will be aware of the mistakes made in that game and will be determined to rectify the situation.
Harmer had a fantastic winter for Essex, taking wickets and scoring runs for his English County Championship side. He scored a hundred in his last championship match and also took 57 wickets to follow on from the previous season when he claimed 72 victims.
It’s clear the off-spinner has been among the wickets for some time now, but it’s runs that have alluded him at times. But he believes he turned that corner.
“It’s something that has been extremely frustrating over the past couple of years. I put a lot of work into it (batting).
“But it’s one hundred and one swallow does not make a summer. There’s still a lot of work to come but I feel a lot more comfortable at the crease now, and hopefully I can contribute to the Warriors,” said the 29year-old.
Indeed, the Warriors will be hoping Harmer has some kind of effect on their chances at Centurion this weekend.
“I grew up in Pretoria, so it’s always nice going back there. But, SuperSport Park 10 years ago and SuperSport Park now is a lot different. The pitches are not as quick and bouncy as they used to be. They’ve become quite slow.
“I’m sure the pitch will turn but it is early October, so I don’t expect it to be prodigious. Hopefully the seamers can do some damage. I know we struggled a little bit against the Lions and the boys are hungry to do well. Hopefully I can hold an end and the boys can do some damage from the other side.”
Harmer’s life now encompasses what a professional cricketer is all about in the modern era.
He plays cricket all year around, swapping South Africa for England every six months.
Of course, with him opting to go the Kolpak route, he has forsaken any chance he has of playing for the Proteas.
But he appears jovial and happy with his current set of circumstances, and even enjoyed a few rare days off before rejoining the Warriors.
“I spent some time with the family in Kenton and then came through for training on Monday and got straight into the swing of things.
“It was a good summer (in England. It’s nice to be able to play cricket 12 months a year. I think as a spinner, it’s very different to fast bowlers who need time off their feet. The more a spinner bowls, the more he learns, the more you mature, the better you become and the more you learn about yourself,” said Harmer at a Warriors training session this week.
“It’s really helping my game playing 12 months a year. So it was an enjoyable six months of cricket.
“It’s a good system in England, things are well run and it’s a nice environment to play in. But Port Elizabeth will always be home. So it’s good to be home and with the team.”