Harmer all about wins
Warriors spin maestro Simon Harmer is hoping to get the new year off to the best possible start and help his side claim a win over the Titans in their Cricket South Africa four day franchise series match at Buffalo Park starting on Friday.
Harmer enjoyed a solid end to the past year, helping the Jozi Stars to victory in the inaugural Mzansi Super League last month, and then he was named as the highest first class wicket taker in the world for the 2018 calendar year, claiming 106 scalps for the Warriors and his county side, Essex.
He will now hope to take that momentum into the new year, starting with the Titans.
“Yeah, I think it was a good tournament with the Jozi Stars, and it was great to win, but this is now a totally different ball game. I normally bowl a lot of overs in the four-day competition, and hopefully I can get in amongst the wickets, as it didn’t really happen in the last game,” said Harmer.
“It was nice (to be named the top first class wicket taker). I can’t play international cricket, so first class cricket is my main format and I have to try do as well as I can in it, as well as the other two formats.”
In the Warriors’ last game of 2018, just before Christmas, they came up short against the Cobras, and will be looking to bounce back from that performance with a strong showing against the Titans.
“We had that game before Christmas against the Cobras. It didn’t end very well, but there are still four games left, and the boys are keen to try and make a push,” said Harmer.
“The Cobras have run away with the competition a bit, but we haven’t played our best cricket yet, so there is a lot of potential in our side to do that, and the guys are keen to get stuck in.”
The Warriors have enjoyed good results at Buffalo Park over the past few seasons, including getting an extremely exciting win over the Titans last season, and they will be hoping for some similar fortunes, having only managed one win so far this season.
They will be up against a tough Titans side that could feature a number of national players and who will also be eager to get the win.
“They have a strong side, but if we play the way we should be playing and use Buffalo Park to our advantage, I think there is an opportunity there to come away with a win,” said
Harmer.
“Last year’s match was incredibly exciting, but hopefully this year we can get over the line with a bit more time to spare.”
One of the Warriors’ players who will be eager to impress will be former Hudson Park High School batsman Sinethemba Qeshile.
At just 19 years, Qeshile has made a fantastic start to franchise cricket with the Warriors, putting in some top performances, and he will be keen to impress in his first match for the side at Buffalo Park.
“I think he (Qeshile) has done incredibly well. He was very unfortunate not to get an opportunity in the MSL, but he has a lot of potential and has done really well for us on the four-day front, so hopefully he can continue with that good form,” said Harmer.
“But I think all the guys are keen to get the four-day season over and into some white ball cricket.
“So I think they will want to put in some strong performances to build up some momentum and take it into the shorter formats.”
The crunch Warriors versus Titans fixture will get under way at 10am on Friday morning.